


When We Were Young

by Mintsea



Series: Out of the Woods [2]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Season 5 Canon Divergence, Bunker Sex, CEO Felicity Smoak, Canon Compliant until 4x23, Established Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, Fluff, Future Fic, Future Queen Family, Future Team Arrow / Future Team Flash, Married Olicity, Married Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, Mayor Oliver Queen, Olicity parenting, Out of the Woods sequel, Parenthood, Past Oliver Queen/Felicity Smoak, Pregnancy, Queen Incorporated, Sexual References, The Smut is in chapter 8, misscarriage / loss, some sex scenes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2018-04-23
Packaged: 2018-09-16 23:48:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 68,825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9295064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mintsea/pseuds/Mintsea
Summary: A collection of stories / future stories from the Out of the Woods universe featuring a now happily married  Oliver & Felicity and their family.#13 Home (June 2019)Felicity and Oliver fall out after Felicity makes a move Oliver doesn't agree with.Parenthood (July 2022)Oliver gives Thea some sage parenting advice prior to Speedy Jr's arrival.





	1. Date Night (December 2016)

**WHEN WE WERE YOUNG**

**#1: DATE NIGHT**

 

**December 2016**

"I am _so_ sorry, I am the _worst_..." Felicity pants desperately, pushing her way through the front door of the loft in a flurry of activity her small suitcase trailing behind her. "I _ruined_ date night!"

It's late, almost 11PM, and well past her expected arrival time from Gotham City of 8PM. A late impromptu meeting with Bruce Wayne himself at Wayne Enterprises had forced them to miss their flight, and then their second option had also been significantly delayed. 

Oliver greets her a wide grin as she awkwardly kicks the front door closed with the heel of her shoe and then loudly drops her heavy shoulder bag on the floor, cringing a little at the thud it makes on the floor. He'd heard the familiar clack of her heels in the hallway and the telltale jingle of her keys in the lock, but he'd been too preoccupied with dish-suds up to his elbows from the washing up to meet her at the door. Now she is inside, he tries to wipe his hands quickly on the tea towel and head for the door to greet her, but she is faster, pulling off her coat quickly and practically running into the kitchen, leaning up on tiptoes for a quick kiss while he finishes up. 

"You were _meant_ to let me pick you up from the airport," he says, but Felicity gives him a wide happy smile as she flicks off her high pink peep-toe pumps, and then moves closer for him to pull her into his eager embrace and kiss. She’s in his arms in seconds, his lips moving against hers hungrily, drinking her in after days apart. 

"Curtis and I got an Uber," she says with a sigh pulling back a little, letting Oliver’s arms band around her hips, holding her close. She pushes up on tiptoes again and winds her own arms around his neck, her fingers tangling in the back of his collar. "I also knew you were working on this lovely romantic dinner that I _spoiled_ -"

"It's fine, it’ll reheat perfectly,” Oliver says not the least bit concerned with dinner anymore now that she’s here, in his sight, and in his arms. With a smile, she turns in his embrace slightly to peek a look at the romantically set dining table across the room, adorned with a bunch of her favourite fresh flowers, and a place-setting for two at one end of the table. 

“Thank you for the flowers,” she says, her eyes cast to the dining area.

“My pleasure,” Oliver says pulling her back towards him, and eliciting another happy mew from her as he slides one hand up to cup the back of her neck, pressing her lips to his again. 

She hums as he deepens the kiss, moving her fingers lightly down his chest, and then resting her hands in the small of his back. His lips move against hers so deliciously, that even thought the food smells _incredible,_ he is so much better. The week they’ve spent apart, with Felicity and Curtis in Gotham working on manufacturing contacts with Wayne Enterprises for the implant, is the longest period Felicity and Oliver haven't seen each other since Nanda Parbat. Even when they’d broken up, when she’d left the team, they’d at least found themselves in the same room within almost daily regularity. 

And sure, they’ve face-timed _every_ evening, and on Wednesday Diggle had even patched her call through the comms while Oliver was out on patrol, but Felicity has missed him terribly, and in a hundred different ways she’d forgotten about until they were apart again. 

From night one, she realised she missed the way he wraps himself around her protectively at night, especially in winter when her already abnormally cold feet were even colder without his warm legs to rest them on. On her first morning waking up alone, she’d realised how quickly she’s become reliant again on the way he wakes her up gently, without an alarm, at 6.20am every morning with a fresh cup of coffee at her bedside. And it had taken just one ridiculously overpriced meal of rubbery chicken and flavourless sauce for her to lament the loss of his wonderful cooking, even if they regularly ate grilled cheese sandwiches or reheated leftovers at 2AM after a long night at the Bunker. But, above all, she just missed _him_. And she knows he feels the same. 

The loft has felt damn empty without her. Felicity's floral perfume had lingered in the loft and their sheets much longer than usual, taunting him each night on his lonely return to their home without her. He's slept poorly, worrying well into the early AM about meetings and proposals, and the renewed presences of the Bratva in Star City which has been keeping Team Green Arrow busy with recon exclusively over the past couple of days. Even simple things like getting dressed in the morning have had him longing for her and her wistful sigh of approval on his daily suit and tie over the rim of her coffee cup. Not to mention, their four long days apart without sex.

But, active sex life aside–Felicity’s presence has also been missed in the Bunker. Diggle has been playing Overwatch in Felicity and Curtis' absence, so it had just been Thea and him in the field. Initially Thea had put her hand up for Overwatch duty, but after nearly _accidentally_ wiping power out to half of the city, and blowing an actual fuse at the Bunker (which thankfully, had not been one linked to the servers or Felicity would have killed her), Thea had resigned to the fact that the field was a better place for her skill-set and on night two, she’d swapped places with John.

And while Diggle was great in the Overwatch seat, Oliver missed Felicity's babbling in his ear over the comms. It grounded him having her so close when he was in the field, telling him about her day, talking about new tech upgrades for the bunker and even planning new arrow types for his Arrow arsenal as he ran patrols or spent lengthy hours on stakeout. In their formative years working together he'd preferred her silence, but these days, her voice in his ear was more grounding than any contemplative solitude. 

“I’ve missed you,” Oliver says, his hands sliding up her back and the soft cotton of her navy and white striped pencil dress, holding her close.

Felicity smiles, caressing his stubbly cheek softly before scratching her fingers through his freshly cut hair. It's shorter than usual, even with winter upon them, but it's sexy as hell (and hides those couple of grey hairs his double life is producing on his left temple) and she loves the way it feels between her fingers. 

It's still such a novelty to them, being together again and finally married, and it sends pesky butterflies to her stomach every time he calls her his wife. It's not at all about some antiquated notion of being owned by him–god knows both of them don't prescribe to that faction of thinking–but it's more about them thankfully being back on track and committed to spending the rest of their lives together.

“Well, I am here now..." she smiles, before making a show of sniffing the air, decoding his romantic date night dinner that he'd taken the night off from both Mayoral and Bunker duties for. "Did you make _lasagna_?" 

Oliver smiles and nods. " _And_ homemade garlic bread,” he says softly brush the back of his hand across her bare shoulder. 

Felicity grins. “You are amazing," she says kissing him again. 

The timer dings on the oven and with a groan, Oliver reluctantly lets her go. She moves out of the way, catching sight of the red wine he’d had airing on the bench, and while Oliver focuses on checking their meal and turning the oven off, Felicity pours two glasses for them to drink with dinner.

"I've been eating dinners with Thea at the Bunker," Oliver admits. "So, this is my first home cooked meal this week too."

Felicity sips at her wine. “You’ve been working extra late then?"

Oliver nods as he closes the oven door. “Yeah, it’s been busy." 

Felicity cocks her head at him, her left hand moving to sit on her hip. “Is everything okay?"

Oliver gives her a wide smile. The query from her comes in a singsong voice, one she tries to use when she’s trying to seem nonchalant about information. He knows she is bursting to know how things in the Bunker have been going without her and Curtis. But he had been adamant that while she was out of town she focus on Palmer Tech and the negotiations, and that she wasn’t to check in remotely. 

“Yes,” he says evenly, “everything is fine. I will catch you up on the details later."

"Later?" She queries, her brow knotting as she hands him his glass of wine. 

She’d been hoping that he’d catch her up over dinner. She was itching to know what had been happening. All Oliver had told her was that fuse blew in the Bunker, and they’d had to call Cisco for some advice as to not distract her and Curtis. And then Thea had let slip on the phone yesterday that they’d been running patrols at the dock which had also piqued Felicity’s interest, but Thea hadn’t divulged any more details. 

" _Later_ ," he says waggling his eyebrow at her suggestively. He stashes the bottle of wine under his arm, and then slips his free hand into hers pulling her towards the stairs. 

"This is not the way to the dining table," She teases, sipping at her wine as they head up the stairs, her fingers intertwined with his.

"I thought we'd work up an appetite first," he says, and the low tone of his voice has Felicity grinning in wholehearted agreement. 

 

*

 

Felicity groans as she brings the final forkful of Oliver's ricotta lasagna to her mouth. "You know, I think this is your best yet," she says with a wide smile, and then cheekily slips the fork into her mouth, winking at him. 

Oliver smiles, her feet perched in his lap and his hands rubbing under the heel of her left foot. Theysit barely dressed at the dining room table, Oliver in his black boxers and Felicity having repurposed his burgundy button up. 

Oliver reaches for the bottle of wine on the table, and refills both of their glasses with one hand, the other massaging Felicity’s tired foot.

"I need to tell you something," he says with an apprehensive sigh as she brings her glass to her lips.

Felicity takes a mouthful of her wine. "Okay," she says, licking her wine-stained lips, rolling the liquid around in the glass. "That sounds ominous," she says nervously. 

Oliver grimaces at her.

"I lost my wedding ring," he says, lifting his bare left hand to show his vacant ring finger for a moment. "I couldn't wear it in the field and you weren't here, so I put it in the pocket of my boot lining and I lost it." He gives her an apologetic look, one that looks damn adorable on him with his bed-tousled hair and hickey on his neck. 

Felicity takes another sip of her wine, torturing Oliver with her uncharacteristic silence and then, chewing on her lip, places her glass of wine down on the table. It had become ritual with them that before Oliver left the Bunker, he’d hand over his wedding ring for safe keeping. None of them wore any jewellery in the field. John and Curtis, often left theirs in their lockers or equipment drawers, Thea stashed hers in her makeup bag, but Oliver always gave his to Felicity. And when he returned, Felicity always gave it back. Thea had called yesterday, asking her about gift options for Donna for Christmas, and in their conversation, had in a very _Thea_ way ( _meddling_ ), accidentally let it slip that Oliver had lost his wedding ring while on patrol the night before. 

"I _know,_ ” she replies.

Oliver cocks his head at her. "What? How?" He asks before frowning at the reluctant smile on her face. "Thea?" He asks with exasperation. 

Felicity smiles, pulling her legs from his lap so she can affectionately touch his knee. " _Yep_ ," she says. “I was waiting to see how long it took you to tell me you lost it in the field. What were you doing down at the docks anyway?” 

“Surveillance.” 

Felicity rolls her eyes. “I get that Oliver, on _who_?” 

“ _Bratva,_ ” he says reluctantly knowing she’s not going to be happy at all to hear that word. 

Felicity exhales with frustration and leans back in her chair. She absentmindedly picks up her fork again, pushing some of her unfinished garlic bread around the plate. “ _Bratva?”_ she repeats. “Oh great, that sounds like good news. Can’t wait to see what your Bratva brethren have in store for us.” 

“It’ll be fine,” he says confidently. “They’ve only been in town 48 hours-”

Felicity cocks her head at him. “But if you are a _Bratva Captain_ , shouldn’t _you_ already _know_ they are in town. _Shouldn’t_ you have made contact by _now_?” 

Oliver sighs. She’s right, of course she’s right. “ _Technically_ ,” he concedes, but being right doesn't put the smile back on Felicity’s face. 

“How much longer until they call on you?" 

He shrugs noncommittally. “I don’t know. I’ve probably got another day or so grace. They are waiting for Anatoly to show up…” 

“Oh great,” she says sarcastically, cutting him off. “I can’t wait to see Anatoly again. And I can’t wait to see what he wants from you.” 

“Honey,” Oliver concedes, reaching for her hand, gently tracing the shape of her wedding ring. “I can handle myself against the Bratva.” 

Felicity frowns. “Yes, I know _you_ can. And _The Green Arrow_ can. But I’m more worried about _Mayor you_ and how this, them turning up now, is going to impact you. Because the slightest hint that you even _know_ someone in the Brava is enough to ruin your political career Oliver.” 

Oliver clears his throat and Felicity knows that she needs to let this go– _for now_. He’s probably already been worrying about that side of things anyway, and if she pushes him before he’s ready to talk to her about it, she’s just going to end up putting more pressure on her already over committed husband and that’s going to backfire on both of them. 

Felicity takes a deep breath and leans forward to rubs his forearm affectionately, deciding their Bratva conversation can wait. 

“Don’t be cranky with Thea," she says. “You should have told me earlier-"

"I know," he concedes, but he still looks mildly annoyed and reaches for his wine, taking a pensive sip. 

Felicity gives him a small smile and gets up from her chair, her hand patting his shoulder comfortingly as she passes. She saunters over to her workbag and crouches down to rustle through it. After a few moment, she gives a triumphant yelp and returns the table, Oliver's eyes fixed on her bare legs as she approaches. She gives him a mischievous grin, takes the glass of wine from his hand and places it on the table, and then hikes a knee over his, seating herself in his lap. His hands cling to her thighs steadying her, and once she’s comfortable, she holds a small black ring box out to him cradled in both hands.

“After Thea told me, I called the jeweller yesterday to get your ring size for a replacement. They happened to have a store right around the corner from Wayne Enterprises in Manhattan..." she opens the box and pulls out an identical silver band to the one they purchased only a couple of months ago. She rolls the ring between her thumb and index finger. "Left hand _please_."

Oliver obliges, a kind of dopey smile on his face that anyone who wasn’t Felicity would tease him over endlessly. Felicity grins at him, her glasses slipping down her nose a little as she crinkles it. " _There_ ," she says dramatically, sliding his wedding ring into place, "right where it belongs." 

Oliver smiles at her and reaches up to cup her face, his lips brushing against hers. 

"So you’re not mad?" He asks on her lips. 

Felicity traps her bottom lip between her teeth contemplating the question for a moment, and then smiles as his thumb brushes against her bottom lip, freeing it. She settles her hands on his ribs, caressing her fingers against his skin. 

"Mad at you for losing your wedding ring while running surveillance on a bunch of bad guys who’ve tortured you?" She asks, tracing his Bratva tattoo with her finger. Felicity shakes her head. "No, I'm not. But," she smiles, "I am a little _annoyed_ that you didn't just leave it on the little ceramic bluebird _ring holder_ on my dresser..."

Oliver almost pouts and it makes Felicity grin. 

"Okay, so not my finest hour," he admits, kissing her softly. “But, I missed having you with me in the field." 

Felicity grins, winding her arms around his neck, and it makes him blush a little. “Oliver, _honey_ , that's sweet and romantic...and totally… sappy _._ I have broken you," she says and he laughs. 

"I know," he concedes. "I used to have game."

Felicity smiles. "I know," she teases waggling her eyebrow at him. "I broke you," she repeats proudly, prodding him in the chest playfully. 

"Okay, okay, _honey_ ," he concedes, flattening her hand against his chest. 

Felicity laughs, pulling her hand out of his, and palming the sides of his face tenderly. "Is there any more wine left?" She asks, wriggling a little in his lap and leaning forward to kiss him. She's feeling a little tipsy, a little giddy, but she's not sure if it's the wine or him. 

He nods, pulling her in closer, groaning a little as she presses herself on him. "Mmmhmmm," he says, breaking the kiss only briefly before, recapturing her lips with a wide open kiss. He crowds her into one of his arms, before leaning forward slightly to reach, blindly, for the bottle of wine with the other. He finds it, his eyes sliding open to check, and then he breaks their kiss, pouring more wine into both of their glasses. Felicity takes the opportunity to kiss along his jaw with featherlight kisses, and then pressing her lips back to her favourite spot on his neck, nipping at and then soothing with her tongue the hickey she'd already left earlier. 

"Any early meetings tomorrow?" She asks on his skin, hoping despite the late hour–and the fact they should be taking full advantage of an early evening as it is so rare–that it isn't over yet. 

"One," he admits in a low voice, and it makes her smile as she feels his abdominal muscles tighten, knowing she's totally making him hot under the collar again, "but I am prepared to face the consequences."

"Mayor Queen," Felicity says, working her way further down his neck with her kisses, to his collarbone, "how _dedicated_ of you."

"Dedicated?"

"Mmmmhmmm," she says, breaking contact with his skin, and looking at him squarely with a heated look before pulling off her glasses and sliding them onto the table. She then turns back to him and slips one button of his shirt undone.

Oliver grins at her and then pushing them out of his chair, his hands on Felicity's ass, as he walks them over to the other end of the table. Felicity laughs; chuckling as he sits her down on the edge of the table and presses himself against her, slowly working the buttons of his shirt open. 

"I may have had this in mind when I set the table tonight," he admits, releasing the last button and flicking open the front of his shirt, exposing the inches of skin between her breasts and down to her white thong. His fingers dance across her stomach teasingly, and he smiles as her breath catches, producing goosebumps against the rough grazes of his beard above the lacy band of her thong. 

Felicity widens her knees a little, pulling him in closer against her, and leaning forward to kiss him, her arms wrapped low around his back, fingers splayed on his skin. 

"You are setting a very high standard. I expected this kind of homecoming after every business trip in the future." 

Oliver laughs. “You got it," he says with a wink, sliding the shirt from her shoulders and letting it fall to the table. 

 

 

_AN: Leave a comment before you go! It helps me write faster!_


	2. Zoe (February 2019)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **#2 Zoe (February 2019)**
> 
> A sleep deprived Felicity visits City Hall with Baby Zoe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: You guys are incredible. Thank you! So much support coming through for this Collection, plus Out of the Woods, Always and Heart Beats Slow. It’s wonderful! I’m so grateful!
> 
> A big thank you to T, whose relationship with her own little munchkin inspired this chapter.

 

**WHEN WE WERE YOUNG**

**#2: ZOE**

 

**FEBRUARY 2019**

**FRIDAY.**   
****

 

It takes less than ten seconds for Felicity’s already horrid day–after being up all night with a teething infant–to get _even_ worse.

It had begun with seven month old Zoe, cranky with discomfort, refusing to sleep for more than half an hour at a time, and culminates in Zoe vomiting what felt like a bucket load of formula all over the front of Felicity’s grey jumper just as they’d arrived in the foyer of City Hall. 

But, after crawling into bed at 4AM this morning and sobbing thick tears into Oliver’s chest in complete exhaustion _and_ from sheer relief that Zoe had finally gone down, Felicity is surprised how easy she takes standing in the foyer of City Hall soaked with milky baby spit-up in her stride. 

This was her life now. Every item in her everyday wardrobe–now mostly consisting of stretchy pants, yoga leggings and skirts that let her crawl around the floor or into bed at any time of the day to take advantage of Zoe’s naps–smelt like milk. She was convinced _she_ even smelt like milk. Her hair. Her pulse points. Her pillow. Oliver had unwisely made a joke about it the other day as they’d hurriedly made love in the kitchen while Zoe slept, but Felicity had been so fraught with exhaustion she’d burst into tears right in his face leaving him completely bewildered and almost terrified to mention the word milk in Felicity’s presence.

“Mrs Queen, are you okay?” Katrina asks, getting up from her desk, her brow knotted in concern as she stares at the Mayor’s wife who’s just stopped abruptly in front of her after stepping out of the elevator.

Felicity sucks in a deep calming breath, counting backwards from five (because frack–no _fuck–_ today) before peaking down at Zoe, who, while still red cheeked, looks mildly happier after expelling her morning bottle all over her mother. 

“Thanks munchkin,” Felicity says wiping Zoe’s chin comfortingly. “This was Momma’s last clean top.”

“Did she get you?” Katrina says, appearing cautiously at Felicity’s elbow with a box of tissues. 

“She sure did, all over me,” Felicity says grabbing a handful of tissues with a grimace and then by chance– because it always ends up on the floor–she peaks at her feet. “And the floor. I’m so sorry, Katrina. Here let me-” 

“I’ve got it,” Oliver says quickly, appearing behind them, having emerged from the Council Chambers to her right just seconds earlier. His fingers tenderly skim Felicity’s arm for a moment, earning him a small smile in greeting from her, before he quickly grabs some tissues and crouches down quickly to mop it up.

He gives her a comforting smile. “Hi,” he says.“Bad day?” 

Felicity sighs. “The _worse_.”

“Is she okay?” Katrina asks skeptically looking between Oliver and Felicity. The last thing Katrina needs right now is a bout of flu when Deputy Mayor John Diggle has already called in sick and Thea Queen is away on business in Central City. 

“She’s fine. It happens more than you would think,” she says as Oliver gets to his feet. “And it’s even worse with formula.” 

Katrina nods, her ponytail bouncing, but her nose scrunches a little. Felicity’s never seen Oliver’s EA so much as _flinch_ before, and a little spit-up has her grossed out. Felicity gives Katrina a kind smile. 

“It’s the smell right?” Felicity asks. “It’s in everything. It _latches_ on.” Felicity uses her free hand to stroke the top of Zoe’s head, her fingers toying with the bright floral headband Aunt Thea had brought back from her previous trip to Central City. “This one smells amazing, like a newborn. Me? I smell like sour milk. _Constantly_.” 

Katrina laughs nervously, but Oliver rescues Katrina from having to awkwardly respond.

“Honey, why don’t we head to my office?” Oliver asks gently, his hand in the small of Felicity’s back. Felicity nods, giving Katrina a small wave which Katrina returns, and Oliver and Felicity head off hand in hand down the hallway together. 

“Your Momma’s going crazy,” Felicity says to Zoe, spidering her fingers down Zoe’s arm, making the moody infant smile. “Momma used to wear Marc Jacobs perfume and have her clothes dry-cleaned. Now she gets puked on at Daddy’s office and cries over silly things like Daddy leaving his socks on the bedroom floor.” 

Oliver huffs a laugh as they approach his office, and he breaks their clasped hands to stride ahead quickly so that he can open the door for them. 

“ _Your_ daughter hates me,” Felicity tells him with a grimace stepping through the open doorway to the privacy of his office. “This is the third time this week. As soon as we get somewhere mildly public, she’s sick all over me.”

Oliver chuckles, following her inside. He steps toward her for a quick kiss before Felicity drops Zoe’s diaper bag on his desk with another sigh and turns towards him, seeking out his embrace.Oliver pulls her closer, wrapping his arms around both of them. Felicity takes half a minute, 30 whole seconds, to relax in his touch and compose herself before she starts to unclip the buckles of the carrier, Oliver helping to slip Zoe out.

“ _My_ daughter would _certainly_ never hate you,” he tells her tenderly, holding Zoe up so he can kiss both of her chubby red cheeks. But it’s a cute statement that falls on deaf ears as Felicity drops the baby carrier on his desk and inspects her jumper. 

“I think we’ve going to have to change formula,” Felicity says absentmindedly ignoring Oliver’s reply. “This one is meant to be the healthiest, but it smells horrific.” She steps towards him again, pulling at her jumper. “ _Smell_ me. I smell gross right?” 

Oliver blinks at her because he’s been burnt before with this conversation and he’s a little reluctant to even try to answer. He grimaces, his eyes pleading with her for reprieve. She’d been mad at him for days after the last incident. The joke hadn’t been worth it. Felicity takes in the hesitant look on his face and groans.

“I’m sorry,” she says rubbing her tired eyes behind her glasses.“I need to stop talking about _fracking_ milk. One track mind.” 

“You’re a little preoccupied with it,” he say diplomatically, moving forward for another quick kiss, before he moves towards the diaper bag bouncing Zoe on his hip. 

“I’m sorry,” Felicity bemoans again watching as Oliver fishes for wipes. He finds them and hands them to her, but as he does, Zoe starts to cry, balling her fist into her mouth, chewing as best she can to ease the pain in her gums.

“Is her dummy in the–?” Felicity begins but is cut off by Oliver.

“Got it,” Oliver says with a smile, pulling it out of the front pocket. He gives it a quick shake to dislodge some snack crumbs and then pops it in Zoe’s mouth. 

But Zoe spits it out immediately, which he catches, her crying escalating as she begins wail, thick fat tears streaming down her cheek. 

“ _Hey_ … _hey_ … _hey_ …” Oliver comforts trying to sooth her by holding her close to his chest, her little fingers grasping at the collar of his shirt. “Come on now munchkin,” he pleads wiping her tears with his thumb, his lips pressed to her forehead. 

“There’s some chilled apple chunks in the snack box,” Felicity says, trying–unsuccessfully–to sponge her jumper with baby wipes. But unfortunately it’s already started to dry, leaving an unbecoming residue right in her cleavage. Felicity groans; she’d going to have to go to the bathroom and sponge out her jumper as soon as possible, which leaves her with an interesting conundrum. She’d dressed this morning with the full intention of using her embellished grey jumper as a distraction from the now double D breasts breastfeeding Zoe had earned her, and the old pre-pregnancy tank top she’d thrown on underneath, the last clean items in her post-pregnancy wardrobe. 

“No banana?” Oliver queries rousing her knowing Zoe, like him, prefers banana to apple.

Felicity gives him a sobering look, one eyebrow raised questioning, and purses her lips, splaying a hand on her hip. It’s a move that has Oliver wordlessly turning back to the diaper bag to pull out the Tupperware container full of apple pieces without further question. 

“You had the last one for breakfast. So, today we have chilled _apple_ pieces.” 

Oliver grins at her. 

“I’ll get more bananas and _new_ formula from the store before I pick Will up from training,” Oliver says holding out a piece of cold apple to Zoe, who leans closer to suck on it.

“Thank you,” Felicity tells him gratefully. She zips up the baby wipes and tosses them back to him. She then reaches for the baby carrier to inspect it.

“Is she wet?” she asks her eyes scanning the inside fabric of the carrier carefully. Miraculously the carrier is spit-up free. 

“No, she’s fine,” Oliver says, inspecting Zoe’s floral romper as best he can, her little hands wrapped around his fingers as she sucks on the piece of offered apple. “Completely dry.” 

Felicity gives Zoe an incredulous look. “You,  _my love_ ,” she says, stepping forward to tickle her belly, “are magical.” Felicity looks up at Oliver, and sending him a matching affectionate smile pushes up on tiptoes to kiss him tenderly. “I’ll be back in a bit,” she says pecking him again, her hand resting on his chest momentarily. “I’m just going to sponge this out.” 

Oliver watches her leave, and once Felicity’s heading down the hallway to the ladies room, he turns his attention back to Zoe, her matching azure eyes fixed on the piece of slobbery apple. He pulls the apple away momentarily so he can check on the progress of her first tooth. He runs his finger gently across her gum, in the spot they’ve been able to feel the raised little bump for the last couple of days, earning himself a gummy bite from Zoe which produces a large smile. He hands her back the piece of apple, helping her for a couple of moments to get a proper grasp on it, before wiping his hand on his suit pants. 

“Munchkin,” he says, taking a seat on the edge of his desk, pulling Zoe into his lap. “We need to get that tooth through or you’re going to make your Momma’s brain melt if she doesn’t get some sleep.” 

Zoe seems more interested in her apple piece than listening, which is totally fine with him. He watches her, unable to hide his smile as she continues to slobber over the piece of fruit, and offers it to him on multiple occasions to bite. He nibbles at it a couple of times, making her giggle, dribble slipping down her chin. He can’t believe how totally in love he is with this little girl in his arms. 

His little girl. _Their_ little girl. She looks like him but even at seven months he can see so much of Felicity in her. She has Felicity’s tenacity, curiosity for the world and her kindness. But she also possesses his daredevil nature, having already taken a couple of big tumbles _off_ things, trying to get into things and do things she still too young to do. One particular tumble had already earned her first visit to the ER for stitches, which Oliver is convinced was a much more traumatic experience for him and Felicity than Zoe. 

But, the last couple of weeks, as she’s started teething, Zoe’s been giving them more hell than usually, and it’s been Felicity who has had to shoulder the majority of that load. He’s helped as much as he can, tried to be as supportive as he can, cut his hours back at City Hall and in the Bunker as much as he can, but Felicity’s absolutely _wrecked._

Felicity is only gone for a few minutes, and when she returns, she finds them sitting there still, Zoe now chewing on her round teething toy and Oliver smiling at their daughter like she hangs the moon. And she does. But that look on his face, the one he also gets whenever he’s with Will, makes her insides melt. In the near three years they’ve been married, she can’t believe how much he’s changed. She’s always loved him, all the sides of him and still does, but _her_ Oliver, the side of him that also plays Dad to two amazing kids and is her husband, he’s _incredible_. 

Clutching the now stain free but still damp jumper, Felicity clears her throat and steps back into Oliver’s office. Oliver does a double take as he divides his attention between Zoe and Felicity, before he hastily gets to his feet. He holds a firm arm around Zoe, but he doesn't move. Instead, he stares at Felicity, partly dry-mouthed at the sight of his stunning wife standing in the doorway dressed in a _very_ tight tank top, and partly because he’s not sure if she realises just _how much_ cleavage is currently on display. 

Felicity grimaces at him.

“Can we not talk about this _ever_?” she blushes, gesturing to her breasts. “This was my last clean tank…I found it in the back of my drawer…and I wasn’t anticipating having my jumper spit-up on and…” She sighs with annoyance, but her grimace is traded for a smile and Oliver knows she’s acting more frustrated that she is. “And Oliver, _stop_ staring at me.” 

Oliver grins back at her and she narrows her eyes at him. 

“Stop staring,” she pleads self-consciously, pulling up the neck of her top, trying to conceal her breasts–now two sizes and three cup sizes bigger than before. “These boobs are _huge_ because I am _meant_ to be feeding the child _you_ impregnated me with.” She huffs a sigh. “Stupid boobs.”

“Impregnated is such an unsexy way to describe _that night_ ,” he teases taking the jumper from her hands and winding that arm around her waist to bring her closer for a smooch, her chest pressed to his, Zoe wriggling a little at being pressed into their hug. 

“That’s not funny,” Felicity chides, chewing her lip for a moment as they part, but she can’t help smile. She tickles Zoe on the cheek. “My jumper just needs another five or so minutes to dry, and then I can cover up and we can go to lunch.” 

Oliver gives her an apologetic smile and he takes a step back scratching his head nervously. “About lunch…I actually lured you here under false pretences.”

Felicity’s face falls. “We’re not having lunch?” 

He shakes his head knowing that his surprise, the whole reason she is here, should be walking down the hallway in the next twenty to thirty-seconds. Katrina had called just a minute or two before Felicity had returned. 

“No,” he says evenly, Donna appearing in the corner window of his office and waving at him excitedly. She gives him two thumbs up and sneaks past the windows to slink in the doorway behind Felicity. “You’re actually going to a spa with your Mom for the weekend.” 

Felicity baulks at him. “My–?”

“Surprise!” Donna says excitedly, making Felicity jump and clutch her chest in fright. “Are you ready to go?” 

Felicity glares at Oliver with wide eyes before forcing a smile onto her face and turning toward her mother and her embrace. “Hey Mom,” she says, hugging Donna back. “Thank you so much but I _really_ can’t go to a spa this weekend…Zoe is teething…I haven’t had a proper nights sleep in weeks…and I’ve got mountain loads of QI reports to look over-”

Donna cocks her head at her daughter as Felicity backs out their embrace. 

“What do you mean? I’ve packed my case and everything hon,” Donna says with exasperation, hands on hips as she blows her fringe out of her eyes. “Oliver made reservations at the Astoria and we have a massage booked for 4PM, and a mani-pedi scheduled for tomorrow morning.” Donna looks to Oliver. “Oliver?” 

Oliver hands Felicity back her jumper and gives Donna a reassuring smile as he approaches. 

“Can you give us a couple of minutes?” He asks her delicately, stowing Zoe in Donna’s arm.

“Hey Zo,” Donna coos to Zoe, snuggling her closer. “Of course. We'll do a quick lap of the hallway while Daddy _talks_ Mommy into spending sometime with Nanny…” 

Donna gives Felicity a pointed look, and the younger blonde cringes a little at the accusation. She’s completely guilty. 

Once Donna and Zoe are out of earshot, Felicity rounds on Oliver. 

“My Mother? A full _weekend_ with my Mother?” she whispers completely vexed. 

A weekend with Donna, when she’s _this_ exhausted, is not going to end well for anyone. 

Oliver frowns, threading his fingers through hers.

“You need a _break,_ Felicity. You need some _sleep_. I thought this would help.” 

Felicity groans. “I know and _thank you_ …but my _Mother?_ Oliver, I can’t be alone with her for an _entire_ weekend. That’s the completely _opposite_ of relaxing.” 

Oliver smiles, reaching up to brush her cheek with his thumb. She leans into his touch, her fingers slipping around his wrist, holding him close, relishing in the moment of it just being the two of them. 

“Well,” Oliver says clearing his throat. “Thea is in Central City, Lyla’s got the kids _and_ John home sick with the flu, and I’m not really the massage and mani-pedi type.” Felicity smiles. “I thought it would be nice if you spent some time with your Mom instead of us just exploiting her and Quentin as babysitters.” 

“We don’t ask them _that_ often,” Felicity says, but Oliver’s raised eyebrow has her making a face at him. “Okay, fine we do. And ugh, poor Lyla. That’s like the third time in two months. Can’t wait for the endless daycare flu once I go back to QI full-time. Though at least John has the actual flu this time and not, you know, a _vertigo overdose_.” 

Oliver blinks at her. She’s trying to change the subject. He needs to reel her in.

“Honey,” Oliver pleads, “ _please_ go. You need a break. The QI work can _wait_.” He gives Felicity a look that says she’s going, and that she’s going to be nice to Donna whilst there. 

Felicity groans again and raises her palms in surrender. 

“Okay, you’re right. But, we have Will this weekend, and I was going to take him to the new exhibition at the Science Museum. Oliver, we’re just starting to have our own _thing_. I don’t want him to think that I bailed on him…” 

“I’ll explain,” Oliver says gently. “Will won’t mind. I’ll talk to Sam and see if you can take him next weekend.” 

Felicity shifts her weight from foot to foot nervously. She’d like to be a fly on the wall for _that_ conversation. 

“You’ll explain properly though, right? Like sometimes your idea of an explanation and an _actual_ explanation are not in the same league.” She grins. “Did you get that sporting reference? Because I know you and Will are going to watch Hockey all weekend while I am not there… and now that I think about it, that might actually be part of your diabolical plan…” 

“That thought _may_ have crossed my mind,” Oliver chuckles, brushing his lips against hers. “Go,” he implores again as Donna and Zoe appear at the door having completed their lap of the hallway. “And _relax_.”

“Are we good to go?” Donna asks hopefully, giving Felicity the same doe-eyed look Zoe often gives her. It works every time. 

“Okay,” Felicity concedes. She gives Oliver another appreciative kiss and then stowing her jumper under her arm, heads for the diaper bag to gather her phone and coin purse. “What about Zoe?”

“She can stay here with me,” Oliver says with a smile, gladly taking Zoe back from Donna. “I’ve got one more meeting this afternoon and then we’re knocking off early.” 

Felicity cocks an eyebrow at Oliver. 

“You realise you’re going to get next to no work done right? I put her on the playmat this morning while I got dressed and she screamed _the house_ down. The dog next door barked solidly for half an hour afterwards, unable to cope with the trauma.” 

Oliver laughs. “She’ll be fine,” he says, tugging on her teething ring, making Zoe smile. “See? All smiles for Dada. I’ll pop her in the carrier and she’ll be asleep in no time.” 

Felicity gives him a look that says he’s totally delusional. “Can you even have a baby at City Hall-?”

Oliver grimaces. “It’ll be fine. GO,” he says, ushering the two Smoak women out of his office. 

“Be good for Dada Zoe,” Felicity says to Zoe, smothering her in kisses quickly. “Don’t let her see me walk away,” she whispers to Oliver, but he’s already on it, distracting her with a couple of tickles, eliciting some giggles from her.

He laughs heartily on his way back into the office at the final exchange in earshot from the two Smoak women.

“Honey, your boobs look great in that top,” Donna says proudly, eliciting a sharp “Mom!” from Felicity. 

 

*

**SATURDAY.**

Oliver is half way through his third beer and surfing the sports channels with the volume on low when he hears Felicity’s Range Rover pulling into the driveway, and then the door open and close a couple of minutes later. 

"Hi," Felicity calls sheepishly down the hallway, before she emerges in the living room doorway, her overnight bag slung over her shoulder.

"Hey, what are you doing back so early?" Oliver ask sitting forward on the sofa, adjusting Zoe's pillowy-sided sleep rug to make sure there was no risk of the sleeping infant, stretched out asleep beside him, rolling off the side of the couch. “You were meant to be there another night.”

He plans to get up to meet Felicity, but she only has eyes for Zoe and moves swiftly into the room dropping her bag at the back of the sofa, leaning over to see her sleeping baby.

"I missed you guys," Felicity says with a smile kissing Zoe gently on the forehead. "How long has she been out?" She whispers, feeling across Zoe's skin for teething fever. Even after a dozen reassuring texts from Oliver over the past 24 hours, Felicity had still worried about her little girl and her first tooth since leaving City Hall. 

"A couple of hours," Oliver admits with a smile at her. “She conked out about the same time as Will. He’s in bed. I was going to put her in the crib but I wanted to keep an eye on her. She’s been clingy all day.” 

“Oh,” Felicity says, slightly disappointed she didn’t make it home to see her stepson before bed. 

“I negotiated an extra night out of Sam,” Oliver says reading her disappointment as she walks around the opposite side of the long soft leather sofa and slides in next to him. “So, now you are back, we can take him to the Museum tomorrow if you still want to go? We just have to drop him off at school on Monday,” he tells her winding his arm around her. 

“Thank you,” Felicity says returning his smile, folding her knees in against his thigh. "Hi," she says sitting up straight to kiss him again more ardently, her hand on his cheek. She gives him a wink. “You taste like beer.”

He holds up his bottle and she takes it gratefully. She takes a sip of his beer and groans, the bitter alcohol taking the edge off the last couple of days of worry. She hadn’t started drinking her customary glass of wine at night again yet, even after a bout of mastitis last month had weaned Zoe off breastfeeding, but she has been enjoying snagging a few sips of Oliver’s beers on weekends. Oliver nestles in close, nuzzling his lips near her ear. “You got sick of Donna didn’t you?” he whispers, placing a chaste kiss to the side of her neck. 

Felicity sighs.

"Yes," she says with a grimace, offering him back the beer, but he shakes his head, knowing he'd lost it as soon as he'd handed it over. "Does that make me a horrible person? I did have a lovely time with her, and I am very appreciative that she dropped everything to cheer me up but…” 

Oliver chuckles, brushing his lips across her temple. “I get it. And I’m sure Donna does too. I’m actually surprised you lasted this long.” Felicity snorts. “How was your massage?”

Felicity meets his eye. "Lovely thank you," she says with an appreciative smile. 

“Were they as good as my massage?" He queries, stroking her arm tenderly. 

She laughs. "Not as _relaxing_ as yours no." 

"Good to know,” he says, grabbing for the remote and flicking again through the channels. 

Felicity nestles her hand his knee, her head in the crook of his shoulder. “I let Mom keep the room for tonight and I gave Quentin a call before I left the hotel so they can have a nice romantic evening.” 

Oliver grins. “I find Quentin even less likely to fit in at the Astoria spa than me.”

Felicity laughs. “I’m sure he’ll appreciate the room service menu.” Felicity sneaks a look across Oliver’s chest to Zoe who's still fast asleep on her back her dummy in her mouth. "Was she good?"

He smiles. "Not at all. She screamed City Hall down yesterday after she realised you left, but she tired herself out enough to sleep through my meeting and we got to Lockwood early enough to seethe end of Will’s track practice. I walked laps while he finished up, and that seemed to put her to sleep again. She slept longer last night, seemed to settle better when Will sat with her on the couch, but her fever went up again this afternoon and she cried for about an hour at dinner time. But after we had a nice bath and a feast of some frozen banana–which she ate none of, and just smushed it into my shirt as it melted–she’s been much better.” 

Felicity sighs, taking another swig of the beer. "I hope that tooth comes through soon," she says wistfully. 

"Me too," Oliver admits. "This is the first one. How many teeth left to go?" 

“Nineteen,” Felicity says with a grimace. “Plus we've got another couple of years before they all break through."

Oliver groans, dropping his head back to look at the roof. Felicity pats his chest lightly in comfort. “This is nothing, imagine what it's going to be like when she's eighteen and demanding a Porsche of her own," she teases. “She’s going to take after Thea. I just know it.”

Oliver sighs. "Oh man, karma is going to get me big time for all the horrible things I did to my parents as a teenager.”

Felicity laughs. "On the plus side, once she’s old enough to believe in the boogeyman, we could use The Green Arrow to help with discipline," she jokes waggling her eyebrows at him. 

Oliver laughs. "I certainly didn't read that tip in the parenting books." 

Felicity shrugs. “Not everyone has a vigilante husband. But if they did, I’m sure it would be a valid parenting tip. Besides, she got your looks, so fingers crossed she has my academic acumens and is too busy worrying about Space Camp and MIT, and then we don't need to _worry_ about discipline." 

"Sounds like a plan. What about the _next_ one?" 

"We still haven't agreed on _another_ ," she says, holding a finger up to him warningly, "but I don’t know if I can handle another girl.” 

“You and me both,” Oliver says, tangling his fingers into her ponytail. “I don't know if I can survive a house full of daughters.”

“But, _if_ it's another boy, then Oliver, all bets are off. Will's an angel. We will not be that lucky with your genes and another son." 

Oliver nods, realising the thought does make him want to finish his beer. He takes it from her gently, earning him a smile, and takes a swig. "I think you could be right." 

Felicity wraps her arm around his waist, snuggling into him. “You know, if she’s going to sleep through the night, we could have morning sex tomorrow,” she says suggestively. “I miss morning sex.” 

Oliver laughs. “So do I,” he teases, earning himself a pinch from Felicity. “Or,” he says grinning at her, “the kids are asleep, we could have sex _now_ …” 

“Or,” Felicity says, bargaining with him. “We could watch the new Stranger Things episodes on Netflix…” 

Oliver grins flicking over the TV channel. “Stranger Things it is.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I know there will be some many questions! That's part of the fun of this collection and writing out of order! Leave me a comment–it helps me write faster!


	3. Broken (February 2017)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicity and Oliver deal with a new loss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I have rewritten this chapter about twenty different ways (not exaggerating), and 50,000 words over the past six weeks. But, in the end, I just went straight for the jugular. You'll hate me, but I am already working on the next chapter which is pure fluff and heals a lot of the pain this chapter creates. Hang in there.
> 
>  **Please note: this chapter includes a miscarriage.**.

 

**  
**WHEN WE WERE YOUNG  
  
#3: BROKEN 

 

**February 2017.**

It happens without warning.

They've been through so much together, five years of horrific, traumatic and devastating things (Merlyn, Slade, Ra's, Darhk, _their breakup_ , Havenrock), but nothing prepares them, not even the months Felicity spent in and out of hospital, for the night Felicity wakes in a pool of her own _blood_.

It takes them by surprise one Wednesday night in early February, amidst a whirlwind of busy days and nights playing double duty as city leaders and vigilantes.

Oliver is battling the fallout of a City Hall new zoning initiative for The Glades, Adam Heights and Orchid Bay, that Ruve Darhk had put in motion before she was killed and he can't stop even with his name signed as opposition. It's the part of the job he hates, when he know City Hall will win when they shouldn't. He'd like nothing more than to be protesting like the hundred or so people that show up on City Hall steps everyday–because the rezoning means spending city budgets that could be used on new infrastructure that's actually beneficial–but Thea and John (now Deputy Mayor) are adamant that he can't.  That he needs to play the long game on this one with the City Aldermen.

Felicity's been just as distracted at Palmer Tech. Now back as CEO and spearheading the development and medical testing of the implant with Curtis in addition to running the company, she's starting to feel like she's being ripped into a bunch of tiny pieces, her attention distracted by dozens of projects, and leaving her very little time to actually enjoy anything, least of all time with Oliver.

So, when Felicity wakes, groggy with exhaustion after days and long nights spent preparing, writing and rehearsing Friday's presentation to the board, her first since being reinstated as CEO, it's with a foreboding sense of resignation. She'd only made it to bed a couple of hours ago, after being force fed dinner by a worried Oliver, who had woken up nine out of the last ten days at dawn, in an empty bed, a sleep deprived zombie holding his usually bright and lovely wife hostage.

Like any woman who wakes with the immediate urgency of an unexpected period, Felicity forces her eyes open, finds her glasses and prepares to haul her tired body out bed to find supplies. She figure it explains her grumpy behaviour towards Oliver earlier (okay, she’d basically _screamed_ at him), and she makes a note to apologise for using her loud voice on him when he probably didn't deserve it. She switches on her nightstand lamp and throws back the covers on their king size bed, freezing when the soft light reveals a lot more than she'd bargained for.

At first she's not able to move, her eyes fixed on the pool of blood in her lap, seeping into their sheets. Then it hits her that things are not okay. That this isn't the normal bleed she's come to expect every five to six weeks, her period cycle stupidly unpredictable with the implant. The blood is darker, thicker and there is much more of it than she's seen, even on an extremely _heavy_ day. Even on _all_ the heavy days.

It catches her completely off guard and it takes a few seconds, a minute or two really, for the worry to wash over her exhausted body, until finally, once she's swallowed the initial shock with deep gasps of air, she shakes Oliver awake, his body stretched out on his stomach beside her.

"Oliver, something's _wrong_..."

He's awake in seconds, and with alarm at the distress in her voice. It has to be bad, because Felicity's already sobbing at the startled look on his face. But it isn't until he sees the large pool of blood himself, her upper thighs stained with the thick dark patches, that he's moving, on his feet phone in hand. He dials 911 and crosses to her side of the bed, wrapping his arms around her, trying to stave off the panic attack he can sense unfolding.

He gives 911 their details as he holds her close, her face buried in his neck. She clutches at him, a mess of fat wet tears, her anxiety spiking horrifically when it hits her exactly what this might mean.

*

If Oliver was an anxious man-which given everything he's _surprised_ he's not-standing outside hospital rooms at Starling General would certain be a trigger; standing outside Felicity's hospital room the _pinnacle_.

He can't count the number of times he's done this, waited outside her room while a doctor examines her. And while he understands, it still smarts that he's out here, pacing in the hallway while Felicity _may_ have had a miscarriage. And if she has, then this is going to hurt both of them more than any of their rivals ever had or could.

He's halfway through another lap of the mostly quiet hallway, when Felicity's door opens and Dr Jessop emerges. He closes it behind him quickly and Oliver knows that Jessop wanting to talk to him without Felicity is inherently bad news. Jessop's  brow knots as he approaches, and he stows Felicity's chart under his arm.

"Sorry, to keep you waiting Oliver," Jessop says, a sympathetic smile on his fifty-something face. He's dressed in plain clothes, having come in urgently from home to see Felicity. He's the surgeon who'd implanted the chip in Felicity's spine and he's the first call anyone at the hospital makes should Felicity's name pop up on a medical admittance paper at Starling General.

Oliver steps forward. "How is she?"

"The lower back pain Felicity's been getting over the past couple of days and the bleeding aren't related to the implant or any sort of malfunction."

"So it _is_ a miscarriage?"

Jessop nods sadly. “I’m sorry.”

Oliver blows out a stilted breath, and it catches a little as the words sink in. It's exactly as they feared, exactly what the paramedic had expected when she'd examined Felicity at the loft.

She’d _miscarried_.

She _was_ pregnant.

 _They'd had no idea_.

He tries to suck back tears, the news a tremendous shock now that it's confirmed, their conversations on the way over and on arrival a blur of worst case scenario he'd pointedly tried to ignore.

"We're giving her a sedative right now and an IV," Jessop tells him. "She's extremely exhausted, dehydrated and distraught. The sedative should help her sleep for bit, and once she's had a few hours of rest, you can take her home. She will be more comfortable there."

Oliver's brow knots. " _Comfortable_?"

"The pregnancy has already started to expel itself," Jessop explains delicately. “So, I am hesitant at this stage to intervene. Her body will continue the process, possibly bleeding for a few more days. But if it's any longer than Monday, I want you to come and see me again."

"A few days?"

Jessop nods but Oliver shakes his head.

"She's not going to make it through that," Oliver tells him. "It's going to rip her apart. Isn't there _anything_ you can do?"

Jessop frowns and shakes his head. "I know she's been through a lot Oliver, but there isn't a lot I can do that won't distress her more. She's was four to five weeks at most. Miscarriage is very common in the first few weeks and while I know it's horribly upsetting, we have let this happen naturally. It’s what’s best."

Oliver frowns and takes a step back, fists clutched together, fearing he's either going to punch Jessop or the wall, or both, and he can't do either.

"We had no idea," Oliver says, more out loud than to Jessop, but Jessop nods anyway.

The paramedic that had brought them to the hospital had told him to prepare for the worst. She'd assessed Felicity quickly, ascertaining that so much of what they were attributing to her stress at work were actually signs she’d been pregnant for a few weeks. Since then, Oliver had been hoping that the bleeding was _wrong_. That she was still pregnant and it would just be one of those traumatic but vaguely romantic stories parents had about their children. _"We thought we'd lost you, but you hung on! And here you are little munchkin!"_

Oliver clears his throat. Four to five weeks takes them back to early January. They'd finally cashed in their Mexico tickets for a New Years honeymoon at the beach drinking margaritas, eating tacos and taking full advantage of the private plunge pool their honeymoon suite provided.

"Do you know why?"

Jessop shakes his head. "It's impossible to tell, I'm afraid. We spoke this time last year about the extensive internal scaring that might make it hard for Felicity to conceive and carry a baby, but at this stage, so early on, we don't have a lot go on. We don't know if her previous injuries contributed to the miscarriage, or if the pregnancy was just not _viable_. Once you have both had time to process we can look at running further tests, but for now let's focus on getting you both through this." Dr Jessop places a hand on Oliver’s shoulder comfortingly. "Take a few minutes for yourself before you go in," he suggests gently as Oliver swallows his tears as best he can. "I will check in on her before you go, but as I said, I'd give her a few hours rest here, where she has no choice but to slow down for a bit, and then you can take her home."

Oliver nods again. "Thank you," he croaks. “We appreciate you coming in."

"Anytime," Jessop says. "Make sure you get some rest Oliver," he repeats. Jessop starts to walk away, but stops abruptly with an afterthought, and turns back.

"Oliver?" He calls, and Oliver who had been standing head in hands look up. "I am very sorry for your loss."

Oliver's throat tightens and he nods a thank you before Jessop leaves.

Oliver takes a second to switch modes, to collect himself before stepping inside. He doesn't want to keep anything from her, but he can't walk in there upset or they'll both break. It makes him feel so helpless and so frustrated. He's a man of action, a fixer, prepared to do anything, anything for her, but he _can't_ fix this.

He can't even fix himself right now because the sheer confirmation of her pregnancy has him wilding wishing this was good news, that he'd just been told he was going to be a dad again, a real Dad this time, a proper Dad. Not William's Dad who has to hide in secret and has missed the last ten years of his life, but Dad to _their_ child.   

And yes it's way too early, they've barely been married five months, and their lives are a hectic mess at the moment in and out of the Bunker; but, now that the want is here, a switch has flipped on that he’s not entirely sure he can turn off again.

In an instant, it's the foundation piece to a puzzle that the entire picture the rest of their lives is now built upon in his head. They'd talked about having kids as soon as they'd gotten back together, not because they'd wanted them immediately, but because things had changed for them since William. And now he wants to rewind to a couple of days ago, before any of this started and she was pregnant, carrying their small little baby. And even though he wants to, he wants to live in it until it’s truth, until he can feel her rounded belly, tell everyone who’ll listen that she’s carrying _his_ child–but he can't let himself entertain that fantasy right now. Maybe not for a long time. It's not fair to both of them.

He sighs heavily, feeling like he's just gone ten rounds with Merlyn, Slade, Ra's and Darhk, all at once. And then he realises, this _is hell_. Probably the biggest hell they've ever faced, and he's _never_ going to be prepared to walk into that room. If he waits to be ready, he'll wait here _forever_.

With a deep breath, like it could be his last, he pulls open the door and steps inside.

The lights are low when he enters, and a nurse is still in the room, checking over the IV. She gives him a smile as he approaches the hospital bed.

"She's been asking for you," she tells him softly with a kind smile.  "She's just drifted off, the sedative's finally working."

Oliver nods and leans over to kiss Felicity's forehead softly. Her face is the most relaxed he's seen in weeks, but she's pale, her eyes swollen from crying, yesterday's mascara lining her bottom lids messily, and she’s sleeping curled up against the the right side rail of her bed, her glasses slipping down her nose. He looks to the nurse, because her position doesn't seem entirely restful, and the nurse gives him another smile.

"She wanted you to lie beside her. She tried to fight the sedative until you were with her, and she wouldn't take off her glasses until you came in."

He huffs a laugh, a tired and sad one because that's the Felicity he knows. The one he loves. Stubborn beyond belief and always fighting for him to be with her. He slips the glasses off her face and places them safely on the bedside cabinet.

"I'll be back in an hour or so to check on her," the nurse tells him and leaves the room.

Oliver sits down on the side of the bed she’s left for him, and leans over her carefully, reaching out to caress her clammy cheek. They'd been so angry at each other earlier in the night, Oliver having juggled a bullshit awful day to hurry home so he could cheer up with her favourite dessert. He'd even organised a night off at the bunker, trading shifts with Thea, so he could spend some time with Felicity.

But Felicity had rushed in from work late, told him she wasn't hungry and she'd snapped at him repeatedly as he'd tried to get her to take a break, and to eat something. She was wound so tight with stress over her presentation, and her planning bid for the new spinal research clinic she wanted to open being rejected by the city, that they'd fought.

He can't really remember what they'd even said to each other, but she'd been so livid and loud voiced that he'd had to leave the loft for a run to cool down.

"Ol'va?" Felicity asks, her eyes slipping open for a moment.

He nods. "I am here honey," he tells her gently, thumbing her blotchy cheek. "Right here. Get some rest okay?"

She swallows thickly, her tongue heavy, and shakes her head a little, trying to fight the sedative a little; but she can't keep her eyes open. "Sorry..." she says to him. "...it's my fault..." her face scrunches and a bunch of tears leak down her cheek and into the pillow. “… _our baby_..." she croaks.

The bed's way too small for the both of them, but Oliver lies down beside her and pulls her in close anyway. She clutches to his pullover, her hot tears and cries buried into his neck. "It's not your fault," he tells her gently, his arms wrapped around her, one hand rubbing her back comfortingly, trying to sooth her back to sleep. "I love you so much, Felicity. We'll be okay."

He repeats his words over and over as he holds her, until she's finally settled, and every other mess in their lives is long forgotten.

*

**Twelve hours later.**

"...I have been calling you all day," Thea fumes the moment the bunker elevator doors open and she spots Oliver, her face (and flailing arms) wild. "I left you _thirty_ voicemails. I went to the loft, I've been here several times, I even went to Palmer Tech. Where the _hell_ have you been?"

Oliver looks away from the screen he's been sitting at on the platform and spins around lazily to face her, his feet skimming against the feet of Felicity's desk chair and the metal floor, the chair reclined back as far as it can go.

"I left you a message," he says nonplussed at her, flipping his chair up straight so he can stow his glass of half drunk vodka on the desk in front of him.

"You left the vaguest message imaginable at 5am this morning and then _disappeared_ ," Thea snaps, storming up the stairs. "I've been cancelling meetings, _big_ meetings, and making apologies all day without the faintest idea why." Her eyes catch the quarter full bottle of vodka near the monitor. "Are you drinking?"

"I had _a_ drink," Oliver says, prompting an incredulous look from Thea.

She gapes at him. "It's two in the afternoon!"

Oliver sighs and gets to his feet. His movements are laboured and exhausted. He's barely slept, and while that doesn't usually worry him, the emotional toll today has taken is akin to ten long days without sleep.

Oliver faces her, palms up in appeasement. "I am sorry for the _vaguest message possible_ , but Felicity and I am going to need a few days off. In and out of the bunker. Can you and John sort that please? Make sure Curtis is here, you'll need someone on Overwatch just in case…"

Thea cocks her head at him, still angry and hand on hip.

"What's going on? When I went to PT they said Felicity was on leave but I just assumed she was telling everyone that so she can prepare for her meeting..." 

"Thea," Oliver says calmly, "I appreciate that I didn't handle things well today, that I didn't give you the information you need to do your job. I am sorry. But I just need you to do this without question. _Please_."

Thea sighs and despite her brother's apology, she's not about to let it go. She's livid, because this is the lazy Mayor all his critics expected. And he's been stellar over the past few months now the team at the Bunker is back to capacity, but, it's still early days and the problems with the rezoning and the clinic rejection, while not big in the grand scheme of his job, are messy. And she can't have him running off when things get messy.

"I do everything for you Oliver. _Willingly._ Can you just throw me a bone here! Is this because of the planning application for the clinic? Because you can't get involved in that, you know that."

Oliver frowns. He’d just wanted an hour or so of peace. To sit here at the bunker, in her chair, and have a drink. _One_ drink, before he went back to the hospital to pick Felicity up. He opens his mouth to tell Thea that he's not getting involved, that he's not interested in the slightest in feeding into the nepotism of City Hall, but instead he says, "Felicity had a miscarriage."

Thea leans heavily against the desk, her mouth ajar in shock.

Oliver sighs at himself and digs his hands into his pockets. Felicity hadn't wanted anyone to know so she's going to really upset with him when he confesses he'd told Thea.

"Is she okay?"

Oliver shakes his head. "No. She's a mess. They gave her a sedative at the hospital and forced her to get some rest. They are discharging her this afternoon."

"Are you okay?"

He shakes his head. "No," he says, and then gives a shrug. "But I don't really care about me at this point. I just need a few days to be with Felicity until it's over."

Thea nods. "Yeah of course. But you should worry about you, you know," she tells him delicately because he never does. "I didn't even know you were trying..."

"We weren't," he says quickly, blowing out a breath. "But it just kind of happened. She was only a few weeks along, we didn't know until this morning, until it was too late."

Thea frowns and gets to her feet so she can pull him into a hug. He allows himself a minute or two of comfort before he pulls back.

"I will be okay," he tells her when he sees her worried face, her anger from before replaced with sympathy.

"I'll sort it out at City Hall," she tells him. "Everyone will understand..."

Oliver shakes his head. "You can't tell _anyone_."

"Oliver..." Thea says by way of reasoning, but he shakes his head again.

“I don't care what you tell them at City Hall, tell them I am sick, I've got...I don't know... _measles_...but we're not going public with this."

"The _measles_?" Thea says making a face at him.

"I don't care what you tell them...but," he holds a finger up at her as she makes to speak, “no one can know about the _miscarriage_.” His phone beeps and he fishes it out of his pocket.

"I think you are making a mistake," she tells him, his eyes cast to his phone and the message he's just received from Felicity.  She's clear to leave. "Donna will be devastated..."

"Thea, _we're_ devastated," he says fiercely. "This changes _everything_. I can't have this conversation right now about what's right by Donna or the City or even by _you_ , if I am being honest. Of course I care, but it's not my _priority_ right now.”

He phone dings again and it's Felicity. She wants to know how far away he is and he's got the two most important women in his life pulling him in what feels like totally different directions.

"I'm sorry," Thea says delicately. "I didn't mean to imply-"

"It's fine," he says gently, "I just, I have to go and get Felicity. Can we talk about this later? Please, just clear my schedule until the end of next week, see where John can jump in on my behalf."

Thea nods. "Okay, I am on it."

"Thank you," he says, squeezing her arm affectionately and stepping around her to head for the door.

"Text me later," Thea tells him, "just so I know you are both okay."

He nods, swallowing the lump in his throat as he hurries down the platform and to the garage for his car.

*

"Can I get you something to eat?" Oliver asks pushing open the door to the loft and stepping aside for Felicity to enter. "I can make you a grilled cheese? Or there is leftover cannelloni in the fridge..."

Felicity shakes her head, stepping through the door wearily trying to recall exactly what state they'd left the loft in this morning.

"Thank you, but I’m not hungry,” she tells him with a weak smile as he closes the door. “I’m going to shower and wash the _hospital_ off me.”

Oliver frowns. He doesn’t want to end up in a fight like last night but she has to _eat._ "Felicity, please, you have to eat _something_..."

Felicity hesitates, but nods slowly when she sees the look on his face. He's helpless and sad and he's trying to keep himself together for her sake, she knows that, and usually she'd tell him that he doesn't need to be strong for her, but she can't right now. She knows this is about both of them. That they are both _reeling_ , but she can barely put one foot in front of the other at the moment.

"Grilled cheese would be nice, thank you,” she says, even though she has zero intent to actually eat it. The very thought of food makes her stomach turn. 

Oliver breathes a sigh of relief and heads for the kitchen.

“There are fresh sheets on the bed,” he tells her gathering supplies for the sandwich from the fridge.

Felicity huffs a laugh and follows him into the kitchen. “I _slept_ all day.”

“You’ve barely slept in _weeks,_ ” he counters.

She surveys the tiredness in his body, the way he moves around the kitchen a little absentmindedly, opening the wrong drawers and cupboards as he tries to make her something to eat.

“ _You’ve_ barely slept at all,” she says to him, gently touching her hand to his forearm, stilling him.

This is what he does, keeps himself busy, usually sharpening arrows or punching things in times of a crisis. He moves, tries to keep his hands busy, tries to keep himself from stopping too long to think about what’s really happening. She’s seen it on him hundred of times.

He gives her a kind smile, and turns towards her to cup her face tenderly. “I’m fine,” he says, with a light kiss, reading the worry in her eyes. “I’ll get some sleep tonight. Can I make you some tea?”

She makes a face; she’d had lukewarm and tasteless camomile tea at the hospital. “Coffee would be better.”

Oliver takes a step back from her with a small smile and heads towards the kettle to fill it up. “Jessop said-”

“No stimulants. I _know_.”

Oliver relents. “Half _strength_. Milk _only_ , no cream or sugar.” he tells her with a smile. “Now, go shower and I’ll bring this up.”

Felicity nods and makes her way up the stairs, her movements slow and cautious, her discomfort with every step apparent. She leans heavily on the handrail as she climbs the stairs and walks across the landing to their room. She hesitates at the door for a moment before she pushes it open, their bed freshly made with new sheets and a comforter. The bag from Nordstrom is still on the chair on the far side of the room and she feels her total adoration for Oliver wash over her as she considers that one of his primary concerns today was making sure she could come home to not only a clean bed, but new linen, one of her absolute guilty pleasures.

She’s crying again by the time she steps into the shower, the task of undressing a harrowing one. 

She’s still bleeding profusely, but its stemmed a little, more like a heavy period and just as uncomfortable. She tries to ignore the blood as it swirls at her feet in the drain and then disappears out of sight, but it’s too much, and she finds herself backed into the corner, leaning on the tiled walls for support as she cries.

It’s way too early for them to be pregnant, they’ve still got a minefield of issues to work through when it comes to starting a family of their own, but it doesn’t mean that it isn’t absolutely killing her to think that only a day ago, she was carrying _his_ child. _Their_ child. And sure, it was only the size of a poppyseed, but it was their baby, flesh and blood they created together, and it’s utterly devastating to think that her body, after everything, is letting them down _again_.

Felicity cries for ages under the warm stream of the shower, until the water runs cold and clear. When she steps back into the bedroom, her knee length fluffy towel wrapped around her, she finds Oliver sitting at the foot of the bed, his head in his hands, the grilled cheese and coffee almost cold on her bedside table.

He looks up when he hears the bathroom door creak open and rubs his nervous hands on the thighs of his jeans. His heart sinks when he sees her, her arms wrapped around herself, her hair wet and dripping down her back. She looks so exhausted, and she gives him a sheepish look when she realises he’d sat here and listened to her wretched crying. 

“I feel like someone's just pulled the floor out from under me,” she tells him, sitting down beside him, her shoulder resting against his.

His throat tightens and he gulps in some air and nods, because he feels the same. She slides her hand into his, knotting their fingers together. He rubs his middle finger against her wedding ring comfortingly, and despite everything, and how much despair she feels, she smiles just a little.

She nuzzles into his shoulder and places a tender kiss there.

“You know yesterday I got up, got dressed for work and put on that grey skirt that always _just_ fits.” She gives him a teary smile as she looks up at him. “ _You_ know the one.”

“I do,” he says. It’s one of his favourites, it hugs her ass _perfectly._

“And, the zip wouldn't budge. And I cursed _you_ , because I thought it was your delicious cooking.” Her smile fades and Felicity sucks in a deep breathe of air. “We were going to be parents, Oliver,” she says sadly, her voice cracking. “We were going to have a _baby_.”

He wipes at her tears with his thumb, and presses his lips to the top of her head. “One day we will, I _promise,”_ he says, tucking her under his arm, holding her tightly.

“I just want to lie here with you until my heart stops aching,” Felicity tells him.

“Me too,” Oliver admits, and he pulls them backwards onto the bed gently. Felicity curls into his chest, her wet hair dripping into his clothes.

But he doesn’t care. God, he doesn’t care one bit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the wonderful support! Please keep commenting, it helps to keep me sane!


	4. Secrets (December 2017)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #4 Secrets (December 2017)  
> Two secrets are revealed at the Mayor's Holiday Party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thanks everyone for the incredible support on last chapter! I was so nervous about posting it, and I am so glad that it received the reception it did! You guys are wonderful, truely. I even cried some of your comments were so lovely and touching! 
> 
> As promised, this one is a lot fluffier. Also, I am uploading this chapter direct from my phone, so, if there is any odd formatting I am so sorry!

 

**WHEN WE WERE YOUNG**

**#4: SECRETS**

**December 2017.**

"...I have nothing to wear," Felicity says glaring at Oliver in the reflection of their full-length bedroom mirror.

She's tried on no less than twenty outfits, all of them haphazardly thrown on the floor around her, having been discarded with loud cranky sighs of frustration. There are piles for all seasons, dresses, skirts, pants with blouses because she is honestly at the point where she'll almost wear anything as long as it fits and she can stand it for the next 5-6 hours.

Tonight is the annual Mayor's Holiday Party and unlike last year where Felicity had planned her outfit at least three weeks in advance, this year, she'd been distinctly preoccupied and distracted by the now eleven week old baby growing in her belly.

Oliver, half sitting, half lying on the end of their bed, fully suited in his best Tom Ford and ready to go, looks up from checking the final few work emails he has left before he clocks off for Christmas holidays and gives her a comforting smile.  
  
"What about the black one?" He suggests referring to the lace strapless knee length one she's worn comfortably a dozen times for special events since they've been together. It's black, it's a little bit stretchier than some of the expensive dresses now lying on the floor, and most of all, he loves her in that one. And he knows she does too.

But he also knows it's a bad suggestion the moment it leaves his mouth as Felicity huffs another sigh and her shoulders drop as she turns towards him.

The very sight of her, her lower stomach starting to round just slightly with the growth of their still very secret baby elicits a huge grin from him as his eyes settle on it. It's not overly detectable, and Felicity has been hiding it well over the past couple of weeks since the physical signs of the baby have started to appear with less tight skirts and dress and more floaty blouses, cardigans and jackets in her daily wardrobe, but he knows it's there, their baby.

Not a soul except them and the doctor know about the baby, not even Donna, John or Thea, with Felicity adamant that after their miscarriage earlier in the year that they weren't going to tell anyone for at least another three weeks, until Baby Queen was solidly fourteen weeks old. She'd even set a date for the announcement, 8th January, which means another few long weeks of watching her huff and puff each morning as she tries to cover any sign of the baby, determined not to start buying maternity wear or new clothing until the June arrival of Baby Queen was out in the open.

"It's not dressy enough," Felicity groans, her hands on her hips as she stands in her black underwear frowning at him. "Mum, Thea and Lyla are going to be dressed to the nines, and I am going to look like I am doing the groceries on Sunday morning."

Oliver grins.  
  
" _Firstly_ ," he says getting to his feet in an almost debonaire move, trying to not let his fancy shoes slide on the carpet, "You love that dress and it still looks amazing on you. Secondly, you've worn it to fancy dinners before...and thirdly, you never do the groceries," he teases tossing the tablet back onto the bed behind him and stalking towards her. She blushes as he approaches, a hungry look on his face, because it's still such an oddly intimate thing between them, and he reaches out one hand to trace the small bump of her belly, his fingers stroking the skin of her abdomen tenderly.

Felicity huffs another sigh and rubs at her contacts with a self conscious nervousness.  
  
"How much time do we have? I need a break for a couple of minutes. The very act of dressing is giving me emotional whiplash," she tells him, pushing her belly out further towards him, encouraging his touch, which makes him grin.

Oliver sends her a gentle look that says he understands. She's almost running on empty at the moment and everything they had anticipated with having a baby so far had been wildly different in reality. Sure the exhaustion and morning sickness was a given, but it's unpredictability wasn't. Felicity's morning sickness at the moments hits in waves, in the middle of the night, which while affording her more privacy, impacts her ability to get much rest. Her appetite for food has virtually gone, any kind of meat is totally out the question, and the only food that seems to put either of them at ease is popcorn (which he'd talked the caterer into including on the snacks menu for tonight, even if the request had seemed totally at odds with the rest of the food Thea has ordered).

"Ten minutes," he says, his hands leaving her stomach and clutching protectively at her elbows.

Felicity tries to stifle a yawn but fails, and the ferociously of it, her eyes watering and her shoulders sinking even further in exhaustion has him grimacing.

"Maybe you should climb into bed?..." he suggests gently, brushing the back of his knuckles up the bare skin of her arm. "Get some rest..."  
  
Felicity smiles, shaking her head.

"I am fine, honestly. Distract me," she says, stepping out of his embrace to pick up some of the clothing from the floor and tossing them on the bed to clean up later. "Show me the picture again?"

Oliver, who quite frankly has looked at the picture over a dozen times since their scan this morning, slips his phone out of his pocket, and brings up the image in his photo album. The morning had been a heady one, finally getting to see the little life they'd been worrying about and keeping secret for weeks.  
  
He turns the phone screen towards her and the 3D ultrasound photo of their tiny little baby.

Felicity beams at him.

"That's our baby," she says proudly.

"That's _our_ baby."

"And how big is she again?"

Oliver smiles, flipping the phone screen back towards him and opening the pregnancy app hidden in a folder on his phone.

He's been diligently obsessed with the app since the Doctor had suggested it to track the growth of the baby. Every Friday he proudly reads her the next snippet of information. And sure, if she's honest, she has the same app buried in a hidden folder on her own phone, but they way he's taken to this, proactively finding out all he can about the baby and what's happening to her is so gosh darn heart melting (and if she's totally honest arousing) because it kind of affords her the opportunity to just be. To let the baby just grow. To not have to worry too much because he's got this. After years of being twenty steps ahead of him in the Foundry or at the Bunker and being the keeper of all information, it's nice to have him look after her in this respect for a change. It's endearing and it's totally hot.

He'd already told her earlier this morning, about 5AM, murmuring soft words into her ear as she'd snuggled in against him under the covers, having spent at least half a hour in the bathroom with morning sickness. Felicity gives him a small smile that says that she might not have been listening as diligently as she led him to believe this morning.

"Tell me again?" She asks, sliding her hands into his jacket, her fingers spade on his lower back. He laughs, brushing his lips across her temple as he holds her tight obliging her completely.

"BQ is about is about the size of a fig right now," he tells her rereading the information. "She's starting to grow teeth buds and is becoming more active."

Felicity smiles up at him and raises her hand to caress his cheek. He dips his head to kiss her wrist softly.

"You are fully convinced it's a girl huh?"

Oliver nods proudly.

"Sure am. I can't explain it. It's just a feeling. I remember feeling the same way as a kid, when Mom was pregnant with Thea."

Felicity rolls her eyes at him. "And what if it's a boy?"

Oliver laughs. "Do you think it's a boy?"

Felicity chews her lip for a moment, pretending to consider it, but his hands are on her stomach again and she finds herself looking up at him doe eyed, a sappy grin on her face.

"No, I feel like it's a girl too."

"Another few weeks and we'll know."

"Another few weeks and I'll be as big as a house," she laments. "Why is everything I own so tight?" Oliver grins and she gives him a playful push. "Not that you ever complain..."

"I don't...never have, never will...but, for the record, you wore those skirts before we were together."

She laughs.

"Pretty sure those skirts were what got _your_ attention in the first place, Oliver."

"They helped," he admits and it earns him another playful shove.

He grabs her, his hands on her hips and kisses her. It's heated and she deepens the kiss, her fingers pulling at his suit lapels.

"How much time do we have _now_?" She asks, as he trails kisses up her jaw to her earlobe.

"Not enough for _all_ the things I want to do to you," he tells her.

She groans, both because it sucks and because god, his lips on her neck are _amazing_.

"Oh my god, we're out of control," she tells him.

Their libidos over the past week have been insane. Their like _rabbits_ , and Felicity's pretty sure if they weren't already pregnant, she'd be pregnant again ten times over. It's not like they'd ever had any problems in the bedroom, but it's such a stark change from the first few weeks when she felt so sick all the time and they were both so paranoid about another possible miscarriage that she's felt nervous and anxious and not sexy in the slightest.

Oliver pulls back, panting slightly. God, he wants her now, but he also needs had a small slither of self control to make it to the Holiday Party. His phone beeps from his pocket, and Oliver knows it's confirmation their their driver has arrived. And Felicity's nowhere near ready.

"Wear the black one," he tells her stepping away. "It looks great and, it also not going to crinkle when I steal you away for a moment or two at the party."

She rolls her eyes. He can't just sneak away from the party held in his honour for sex in the coat check. "We can't-"

"We are," he says predatorily. "I'll buy you another few minutes and go down and meet the car...what?" He asks at her pout.

"You can't go anywhere, I need you to zip me up," she says, picking the lace dress up off the bed. She quickly slips the zip down and then throws the dress over her head.

She heads for the mirror to adjust it quickly, making sure it sits properly in all the right places and then with a quick look over her shoulder at him, he's there, zipping her up. The zip goes up without much fanfare, and Felicity heaves a sigh of relief, but she frowns when she turns to her side and runs her hand over the tiny bump in the mirror.

"Are you sure you can't tell?"

Oliver presses a kiss to her bare shoulder.

"You look incredible Felicity," he tells her. "As always. Can we please go? Thea will kill me if I am late..."  
  
Felicity takes one last look at her reflection before she mutters, "to hell with it," grabs her clutch from her bedside table and meets Oliver at the bedroom door, sliding her hand into his.

*  
  
"Who are you looking for?" Donna asks, her head tipped towards her daughter curiously as they stand at the bar, Donna waiting for her round of holiday cocktails.

Felicity shrugs.

"Oliver," she tells her. "I haven't seen him for ages." She's heard from him though. He's sent her a dozen dirty texts over the past hour, despite being no where in sight, and no closer to cashing in on his promise for that moment alone.  
  
Donna rolls her eyes.

"Honey, I am sure you can stand to be apart for one hour," she says, adjusting the strapless sweetheart neckline of her glittery red knee length dress.

Felicity wishes it were true. But her hormones are already out of control. How is she going to last another five to six months hard wired like this? She thought the honeymoon period of them being back together was bad, but it's got nothing on all the extra blood and hormones pumping through her body.  
  
"How's the store coming along?" Felicity asks, trying desperately to change the subject and getting her mind off her libido.

Donna's face brightens at the mention of her new business venture with Thea, a high end lingerie store in the city, just around the corner from Queen Incorporated. Felicity is a silent partner in the venture, and the investment had been initiated as a way to support her Mom in her new career, but actually, Donna's twenty plus years of experience as a (sexy) cocktail waitress in Vegas had paid off and if Felicity was honest, her mother's designs and stock at the soon to be open store were incredible. Incredible enough that Felicity already owned a whole stack of new options, that her and Oliver had been getting a lot of use out of.

"It's so exciting," Donna tells her. "The walls go up next week right before the holidays, and Thea's got all these great ideas for promoting the store on Instagram! she's even lined up one of her friends, Tayla she used to model for Victoria Secret, to do some modelling for our look book! It's so exciting!"

Felicity tries to appear nonchalant, but she feels her lip curl.

"Tayla Summers?"

Donna nods, her long eyelashes bobbing a little.

"Yes, why?"

Felicity grimaces and takes a sip of her lime and soda.

"She's a friend of Oliver's. Or was. They _dated_ ..."

Donna grins at her clearly envious daughter.  
  
"Honey, Oliver used to _date_ a lot of girls," Donna says, and Felicity makes a face. "If I refused to work with anyone Oliver _dated_ it would be hard to get a lingerie brand off the ground in Star City."

Felicity sighs.

" _Touché_ ," she says, and even though it was a hundred years ago, thinking of Oliver sleeping with a bunch of model types like Taylor Summers still makes her feel insecure. Even with his baby inside her.

Donna pats Felicity's shoulder comfortingly and looks around at the party crowd.

"Honey I actually wanted to ask you something, I don't know if it is the right time or place but-"

Felicity's phone beeps and she rudely checks the screen quickly, typing quick replies to Olivers messages.

"Sorry Mom, give me a second..."  
  
**Oliver Q.**  
_Cloak room too busy. My office. 5 mins. Change of shift shortly, trying to shake Quentin. Are you and Donna still in the ball room? I will send him down._

  
**Felicity Q.**  
_Yes. At the bar. If Quentin is still on security detail the deals off buddy._

  
**Oliver Q**.  
_Loud and clear. I'll fire him. Won't be awkward at all._

  
**Felicity Q.**  
_Firing your father in law so you can have sex in your office...Mayor Queen...do it. !_

 **Oliver Q.  
** _Don't tempt me. 4 mins.  
Ditch your underwear._

  
**Felicity Q.**  
_One step ahead. Check your inside jacket pocket.  
  
_  
**Oliver Q.**  
_..._  
 _..._  
 _When?_  
 _How?_  
 _Christ Felicity._

  
Felicity hands Donna her drink quickly, almost sloshing half of it over Donna's dress in her haste.

Donna yelps, a high pitched "Hon!" In return, giving Felicity a dark look.

"Sorry, work stuff, I need to make a call," Felicity says quickly. "You'll be okay by yourself right? For a few minutes until Quentin clocks off?"

Donna tsks at Felicity.

"Does this look like Omnia on a Friday night? I will be fine Hon. But I need to talk to you afterwards okay about something important?"  
  
"Sure," Felicity says absentmindedly, much more focussed on making it upstairs to Oliver's office in the next four minutes than what Donna has to say. "As soon as I get back okay?"

Donna nods and after flashing her a quick smile Felicity moves quickly through the crowd, her clutch held securely over her belly as she navigates through the array of people.

She makes it to the foyer relatively quickly, and tries to discretely and calmly make it up the large regal staircase of the public levels of City Hall and to the lift for the executive level.

She gives Frank, the night security detail for the Executive levels a kind smile as she approaches.

"Evening Ma'am," he says. "Heading to the Mayor's office?"

Felicity nods. "My phone's about to die," she tells him with a smile, holding the device up. "Thought I would plug it in for a few minutes."

Frank nods, keys the elevator to go up and steps back as the doors open allowing Felicity to step in.

"You haven't seen my husband by any chance?" She asks after stepping in, and Frank uses his hand to keep the door open.  
  
He shakes his head. "No Ma'am, not since earlier. He was with Lance and Mr Diggle when I saw him last."

"Okay thank you. If you see him, can you tell him where I am please?"

Frank nods. "Of course Ma'am," he says with a smile as the doors close.

Felicity meets another security detail when the doors open on the executive level. He's not usually stationed there, and Felicity figures Quentin, now head of security at City Hall, upped the security especially with the holiday party actually been held at City Hall this year, and the large amount of extra people in the building compared to a normal work day. Felicity also doesn't recognise the man and she gives him a polite smile as she steps out. Damn Oliver. By the time she makes it it the office, every damn man in City Hall will have seen her. So much for discrete.  
  
"Hi," she says to him with a bright smile. "I just need to charge my phone in my husband's office. Frank downstairs let me through...?"

The young man nods.

"Of course Mrs Queen," he says stepping aside with a smile. "Merry Christmas."

"Thanks," she tells him. "Happy Holidays."  
  
She heads for Oliver's office even paced, waiting until the corridor bends slightly, before she quickens her stride. She half expects to find Oliver waiting for her when she gets there, but instead his office is empty, the blinds for the corridor already drawn and dark, his computers shut off and ready for the holiday break, his paperwork stacked away in neat files on his desk (which is totally Thea because Oliver's idea of filing is wildly different).

 Felicity makes her way to his desk in the citylight lit room to turn on his desk lamp and smiles when she sees from the array of photos of them on his desk, he's replaced an older photo of them together, from their trip to Positano, with a photo Donna had taken at dinner the night the four of them, Donna, Lance, Oliver and Felicity, had gone out together to celebrate their first anniversaries. It's the night Felicity's pretty sure they conceived little BQ, and as she studies the photo, in the privacy of Oliver's office, she lets her fingers graze the fabric of her dress, caressing her little bump tenderly.

After losing their first baby in February, Oliver and Felicity had spent a few months deliberating actively trying for another baby. It wasn't until a visit to the cemetery in May, to visit Miora, Tommy and Laurel for Oliver's birthday, that they decided that while their first little one had been a devastating surprise, they did want to try again.

But, it hadn't been easy. They were both given the clear fertility wise but three months in a row Felicity's period arrived, another painful reminder than they were no closer to where they wanted to be. By attempt number four, Felicity had suggested they take a break, that she needed a little time to get her head together, because the disappointment was so painful after their miscarriage which she still grappled with from time to time.

But, the following month, the pressure off, and their sex life less clinical than it had been over the previous months like a desperate couple trying to make a baby, it happened. And Felicity was terrified, oh man she was terrified, the very thing they'd been wanting for the best part of nearly a year now a reality, but she was also relieved. They were finally having their baby.  
  
The door to the office opens quickly and she jumps, still standing at his desks her hand on her belly, and she curses Oliver's name as he sends her an predatory grin, shuts the door quickly and crosses the room.

"You're late," she tells him, as he takes her hand and pulls her into his chest, his fingers gripping her hip tightly.

"Sorry," he says, his lips sneaking forward for a quick kiss against hers, before he trails them down her jawline. She mewls a little, pressing herself against him as she arches her neck a little allowing him access to nibble on the spot just beside her ear.

"I had to clear a couple things with Thea for next week," he says between kisses. "I only have fifteen minutes before I have to give the toast so..." he slides his hands around her back and to her ass, looking for the bottom hem of her dress as he manovers her back towards the desk edge, pressing her against it.

There is a sharp knock on the door and it opens, the long slender arm of Thea waving the white thin and long neck scarf from her gorgeous white high necked dress.

"Sorry," she says her face still obscured discretely behind the door.

Felicity laughs, her hands on Oliver's shoulders as she gives him a nudge to take a step back, which he does begrudgingly.

"Ollie, I know you are busy but Dawson wants to see you now before he goes, he's in my office..."

Oliver groans.

"I will be five minutes," he tells Felicity cupping her face gently, planting a kiss on her. "Five minutes. _Don't_ move."

She nods, blushing a little as Thea pushes the door open, revealing her mischievous smile. Felicity gives her a wave and crosses one leg over the other, still sitting the edge of Oliver's desk.

"I thought you were bringing the mystery man," Felicity asks Thea, and Thea rolls her eyes. "He's stuck in central city on business. Maybe he'll make Valentine's Day."

"So you'll finally let us meet him then?" Oliver teases, stepping past Thea, sending her a thankful smile for coming to get him and not sending the detail, and they both slip out of the door, closing it behind them.

They are only gone a minute or two, Felicity having time to get down from the desk and walk two laps of the office, trying to stave off her almost gnawing sexual want, when the door opens again and Donna, followed closely by a heranged and perplexed Quentin step through it. For the office of the Mayor, it's the least secure and private room in the building! Though, Lance has more door opening abilities than Felicity in this building.

"...Felicity," Donna says, her face urgent and upset, "I need to talk to you."

Felicity makes eye contact with Quentin who steps forward and tries to take Donna's hand.

"Sweetheart, I told you, it's not the time nor place for this-"

Donna shakes off Quentin's hand and crosses her arms against her chest. She hikes her chin defiantly at Felicity ,and behind her Quentin blows out an exasperated breath.

"Have you been lying to me all this time?" Donna accuses.

Felicity hesitates because quite honestly, Donna could be talking about a vast number of things. She's not exactly in their inner circle, and that's mostly for her own protection. She's not like them. She's not hard or calculated, she's soft, and lovely, and bubbly and her Mom. And Felicity wants her protected. But from the way tears seem to brim in Donna's eyes and her bottom lip starts to tremble, Felicity feels like this might be more close to home to any of the other secrets on their list. That this-and she doesn't know how Donna would know- might be about the baby.  
  
Felicity's hand goes to her stomach and her posture softens. "Mom, I am sorry, Oliver and I were going to tell you. we was just waiting for the right time."

Donna sniffs, her hands falling to her hips, to her Mom stance, and for a second, Felciity hopes she inherits that look because its foreboding and formidable. It's ' _do what you're told, eat your greens and I am extremely disappointed in you_ ' all in one.

"The _right_ time?" Donna huffs. "The right time? What were you just hoping I wouldn't notice? That I wouldn't put together all the strange little lies eventually," Donna steps forward and Felicity's heart aches a little. "And alright Hon, I am not the most observant or the smartest person but, now it is all starting to add up. I mean, you even lied to me ten minute ago!"

Felicity grimaces; she feels terrible.

"Mom, I am sorry. I really am. I just wanted to wait another couple of weeks, until the baby was fourteen weeks before we told anyone-"

Donna's mouth falls open, and from the way Quentin stills, his own surprise registering across his face, Felicity realises, all too late, they weren't talking about her being pregnant.

"Baby?" Donna croaks. "You're having a _baby_?"

The disappointment is replaced with curious surprise and Felicity gives Donna a magnificent smile.

"I am going to be a momma, Mom." 

"Oh-my-goodness-baby-girl!" And Felicity is instantly in Donna's embrace, the smaller blonde's arms wrapped around her neck, pulled into her vice like grip.

It feels like it goes on forever, Donna just exclaiming oh my goodness over an over again, Felicity's face buried in her bouncy long curls. She's still holding her a couple of minutes later when Oliver returns, clearing his throat from the doorway, Thea and John at his heel. 

Their rendezvous plans seem shot to pieces now.

"Everything okay-?" Oliver starts, but Donna's out of Felicity's embrace quickly, catapulting towards at Oliver. He lets out a winded oomph as she wraps her arms around him.

"I am so happy for you both! This is amazing news!"

Thea and Diggle's eyebrows shoot up instantly, and Felicity's suddenly aware that everyone is about to know their secret ahead of her nice little schedule.

"What's the news?" Thea asks with a bright smile, looking to Oliver and Felicity for answers.

Oliver smiles at Felicity as Donna moves out of their hug, and he approaches her, his hand sliding into hers.

"You want to tell them?" He asks, squeezing her hand tenderly. 

And the mere suggestion, that they have news has Diggle grinning, he and Lyla in the exact same situation 4 months ago, announcing the arrival of another little Diggle.

"You're pregnant?" He says with a toothy smile.

Felicity nods, beaming.

"Eleven weeks. Due in June. Baby Diggle and Baby Queen are going to be born only a few months apart."

Thea grins heartily, wrapping them both in a hug.

"You sly dog Ollie," she tells him, Diggle and her taking turns I hug them heartily, and then finally, Quentin too. "Is there something in the water at City Hall? First Lyla, now Felicity."

Felicity looks to Donna whose happiness seems to have diminished a little, the news sinking in.

"What secret _did_ you think I was keeping?" Felicity asks, cocking her head at Donna.

Donna runs her tongue across her front teeth calculating exactly how to approach this one, her hand on her hip.

"That Oliver is the Green Arrow," she says in almost a whisper, but everyone in the room hears.

And no one moves.

Quentin huffs a nervous laugh like he's not sure if everyone is about to admit it.

Oliver clears his throat and gives Donna a tender smile.

"How long have you known?"

"Long enough," Donna says. "But, if I am honest, it didn't really click until a few weeks ago when you, The Green Arrow, took down that gunman at the Conference. It dawned on me that you were there as Oliver, but as allies, you are never seen in the same room. I figured one day you'd tell me, but you've both been acting so odd, and then tonight, Felicity was all distracted and secretive and I figured it was time to find out for certain." Donna sighs. "Am I right? _Are_ you The Green Arrow?"

Oliver nods. "Yes."

"We're all vigilantes Donna," Thea appeases gently. She raises her hand. "Speedy."

Dig raises his. "Spartan."

Donna looks to Quentin and he shrugs, hands in the pockets of his grey suit.

"I used to help out from time to time. It's been hard since Laurel died though."

Donna looks at Felicity. "And you?"

"Felicity falters a little because Donna looks like she's working up to an angry explosion, like she would when Felicity was a kid and would dismantle all the appliances in their little 2 bedroom apartment trying to learn how things worked.

"Mom," she says gently, "you already knew I worked with The Green Arrow."

"But what do you _do_ as a vigilante Felicity?"

"She's Overwatch...our eyes," Oliver says. "Our ears. She makes things happen. She hacks things, runs the intel. Keeps us safe. We couldn't do any of what we do without her."

Felicity squeezes his hand, because it's tender and lovely and it makes her feel rather important when he explains it like that.

"Are you ever in danger?"

"Frequently," Oliver says, but Felicity snaps a "not helping."

She can sense where this is going. Her Mom's excitement for her first grandchild had flipped off like a switch, and it was because her worry had set in.

"It's the truth," Oliver says evenly. "Donna wants the truth, Felicity, and that's okay."

Felicity blows out a breath. "Sometimes," she tells Donna, releasing Oliver's hand and settling her own on her stomach. "Not so much anymore."

"Unless we need a sassy blonde for a stakeout or as bait," Thea says, but her attempt to lighten the mood falls flat, and Felicity sends her a look that tells Thea to hold her tongue.

"Also not helping," Felicity says to Thea, who grimaces guiltily in return.

Diggle clears his throat.  
  
"This looks like a family matter...I think I might go and find Lyla. You've got to make you toast in a few minutes man," Diggle says pointedly to Oliver.

"I'll help you look," Thea chimes in sensing her presence in this conversation has already done enough damage. "And Ollie, please don't be late."

"I can help-" Quentin starts but Donna drowns him out.

"Don't move Quentin."  
  
Thea gives Lance an apologetic look as she closes the door behind her and Diggle.

"Mom, I am not sure why you are so mad right now-"

"How are you going to raise my grandchild when you are city leaders by day and vigilantes by night?" Donna demands, startling everyone in the room.

"We are still working out the particulars," Oliver says diplomatically, and Felicity frowns at him.

"We _do_ know. And we aren't giving up our day or night lives."

Donna snorts indignantly.

"Hon, do you think a baby is really going to fit into your lifestyle? That the baby will be at home in your.... _superhero lair_ -"  
  
"It's called the Bunker..." Oliver says out of habit, still always correcting Felicity's teasing use of Arrow Cave, but Felicity shoots him a dirty look, "but never mind."

"-that he or she will sit quietly in their little crib while _you're_  out putting arrows in people and _you're_ hacking things."

"It isn't exactly like that Mom," Felicity tries, stepping forward, but Donna's hurt isn't placated. And it really kind of is, but when it's said like that, with such disdain, it stings a little.  
  
"Well I wouldn't know, because I have never been included. Every _important_ person in your life knew your secret. _Except_ me.  
  
" _Mom_ , we did it to protect you."  
  
"You know what Hon? You being a secret vigilante I can handle. You being pregnant...carrying my grandbaby...oh wow, I am going to be a _grandmother_ ," Donna makes a face at the thought, preening a little before she smiles, "is amazing. _Incredible_. But, those worlds don't go together. And, I just don't see how you think it's okay to try and fit them together when what you do," she glares at Oliver, "is so dangerous! It's irresponsible. And stupid. And one day, my little granddaughter or grandson is very likely going to lose _one_ , or _all_ of the people he or she loves because Mummy and Daddy were too selfish being _heroes_."

Donna sighs heavily and drops her gaze to the floor, her arms wrapped around her.

"Sweetheart," Quentin says and she turns toward him taking his hand.  
  
"Mom, it's not like that," Felicity tries to say, stepping forward but Oliver stops her with a gentle hand on her elbow, knowing both Smoak women well enough by now that they need to walk away or they'll hurt each other.

"Quentin," Donna says to Quentin, "can you take me home please?"  
  
He nods, kissing her briefly on the forehead before tucking her under his arm.

" _Mom_ please," Felicity tries and Donna gives her a tired sigh.

"I just want to go _home_ Felicity," Donna says.

Felicity gives her a sad nod.

"Thanks for coming," she says, because it is the only thing she can thing of saying right now.

Communication has never been Donna and Felicity's strong suit. They've come a long way over the years, mending the giant gap of lives, interests and personalities, and they've grown so close since Noah had left their lives once and for all, and Donna had moved to Star City permanently after marrying Lance.

 And even though her reaction hurt, Felicity does understand Donna's upset, her hurt over being cut out of their secret vigilante lives (which is is barely a secret anyway) and Donna's fears for their baby. They've never involved her for her own safety, so by default, their work to save the city is more ominous and dangerous and scary. And even though it is _actually_ those things, even with BQ on the way, there will never be a choice for them. They will always have both. Having both makes their lives stronger and fuller, and that's all anyone ever yerns for, wants, from and for their lives.

Quentin and Donna leave, Donna unable to look them both in the eye and Quentin's faced laced with a sympathetic look for his adopted family. Their departure leaves Oliver and Felicity alone in his office again, but the moment from before is long gone.

Felicity checks the time in her phone.

"You have to make your speech," she tells him, turning towards him. "But, it'll be hard to _top_ that."

Oliver frowns, bending his knees slightly and tips Felicity's chin up to meet his eye.

"The speech can wait. Are you okay?"

She gives him a pained smile.

"That was _rough_ ," she admits, blowing out the stilted breath of air she'd been holding since she'd asked Donna exactly what secret she though Felicity was keeping.

" _Brutal_ ," he agreed, caressing her cheek.  
  
"Probably true," she concedes.

He gives her a gentle comforting smile.  
  
"I don't care," he tells her. "I want our lives and our baby."

Felicity kisses the inside of his wrist tenderly, knotting her fingers with his.  
  
"Me too."

"She'll come around," he tells her wrapping his arms around her. "She'd do anything for you Felicity."

  
*  
  
"Mmmmmm popcorn," Felicity says with a wide smile, Oliver's arm appearing over the back of the couch with a fresh bowl of buttery popcorn. "You're the best."  
  
Oliver grins as she hungrily takes the large bowl, tucking her feet under her and resting it on her knees. They'd escaped the party early, trading the drunk carolling and holiday cheer for a large bowl of popcorn and a movie on the couch.

"Did you send it?" Oliver asks, flopping down on the couch beside her, snatching a couple of pieces of buttery popcorn.  
  
"Yes," Felicity says with a large grin, her topknot bouncing with the movement.

 She wipes her salty fingers on her yoga pants and reaches for her phone, showing him the message she'd sent to Donna about three minutes ago, just as the popcorn had gone into the microwave, of the 3D ultrasound picture of BQ.

"Three minutes, and _nothing_."

Oliver smiles.

"Give her five and then we can worry," he teases, and she throws a piece of popcorn at him.

"She's _stubborn_ ," Felicity tells him.

"Oh that's where you got it from?"  
  
Felicity rolls her eyes at him. "Says _King_ of all stubborn men."  
  
"I am the _Queen_ actually," he says, leaning forward to press a kiss to her lips.

She tastes like butter and salt, and he smiles.

"You're a dork," she teases, earning herself a tickle from him.

Her phone dings and Oliver moves swiftly to grab the bowl of popcorn before it's upended all over them, her attention drawn to the phone. Felicity gives him a thankful smile before reading the message.  
  
"It's the little dude with the heart eyes emoji," Felicity says with a grin, showing him the screen.

"That's good news," Oliver tells her with a smile. Even if it wasn't obvious, he speaks fluent Donna text emojis.

"The best," She says with a wide grin.

She tosses her phone onto the couch and grabs for the bowl of popcorn placing it on the table, before sending Oliver a wanton smile, and climbing into his lap, her knees spread either side of his.

"Now where were we?" She says, leaning over him, cupping his face to bring his lips closer.  
  
Oliver huffs a laugh, his hands clutching at her waist, steadying her, pressing her closer against him. He's been staving off his arousal for her most of the night, that the prospect of finally getting her naked makes him feel lighter.

"It's back on?" He asks, playing with the hem of his t-shirt that she's wearing.

Felicity nods, placing short quick kisses on his lips.

"I am still _not_ wearing any underwear..." she says, and Oliver groans, his hands slipping to squeeze her ass. 

"I think..." he grabs her, eliciting a squeal and a round of giggles from her as he lays her down on the couch, covering her body with his, "we've got a very _busy_ night ahead."

He lifts the hem of her (his) shirt teasingly, his fingers gently stroking across the soft skin of her stomach. He places a row of kisses just below her belly button, all chaste and all meant for both of them.

"Hey BQ, don't you worry, okay?" He tells her belly lovingly as she cards her fingers through his hair. "I am sure Poppa Lance will help Nanny come around. She just loves you so much she's already worried about you."

Felicity smiles as she looks down at him and his tender conversation with their baby. He meets her eye, a smile on his lips.

"That's right, right? Nanny? She doesn't seem like a Gran." He huffs a laugh. "Could you imagine the formidable arguments between Donna and Mom on this?"

Felicity smiles, her fingers traveling down his temple to caress his cheek.

 "I think Nanny or Bubbe. My Bubbe died when I was just a kid, but Mom loved her so much. She might like to be Bubbe too."

"See?" Oliver says to her stomach, drawing small circles around Felicity's belly button. "Your Momma and I have this munchkin."

He kisses her skin again, but the kiss is cut short, Felicity's hands on his jaw.

" _Honey_ ," she says, garnering his attention and he knows what that tone means.

He smiles at her this time, _just_ her, crawling up her body, his right hand hooked behind her knee, his mouth capturing her's passionately. 

 -

 

AN: If you're read this chapter, please leave me a comment! It'll help keep the fires burning for Chapter 5! 


	5. Old Friends (May 2018)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #5 Old Friends: Felicity has a chance meeting with an old friend in the ice-cream section at the grocery store.

**WHEN WE WERE YOUNG  
#5 OLD FRIENDS**

**Late May 2018.**

Felicity heaves a heavy sigh, her hand on the long black handle of the small grocery store ice-cream cabinet. 

There is an array of assorted options in front of her, everything from the healthy low in sugar options Donna _insists_ on buying, to her favourite, a choc-chip mint with swirls of topping, high on the top shelf. But, the frosty delight, the only thing keeping her sane right now is the very thing out of her tiny eight and a half month pregnant reach. 

“Stupid top shelf,” she mutters to herself, taking a step back from the door and glancing angrily up both ends of the aisle, trying to find someone, _anyone,_ to help her get it. She’s tired, uncomfortable, sore and she’s beyond cranky and after some earlier pains, she’s ready for little Zoe Moira Queen to be born. 

But, of course, it’s late, nearly 10 PM, and the small 24-hour grocery store literally on the other side of town from her shiny new five bedroom house in Adam Heights is practically empty of customers, and so it would seem staff.

“Damn you Oliver,” she curses to herself, frustrated to no end that her husband, who had sworn to not leave the city on Mayoral business for the last four weeks prior to the baby’s due date, had jumped on a plane two days ago to Central City to help a desperate Barry and Team Flash with their latest meta-human foe. 

“Hello?” she calls down the aisle, left hand rubbing the small of her back, trying to ease the pressure of the giant weight pulling in her beach ball like torso, and Zoe’s current parkour routine in her round stomach, “Can someone help me please?” 

She considers feigning real trouble, calling out loudly, screaming even, for someone to hear her and get the damn stupid ice-cream from the top shelf, but her pleas for help aren’t exactly genuine and she feels too guilty for even contemplating it. 

With a loud huff, adjusting her oversized t-shirt, Felicity reefs open the glass cabinet door, letting a rush of cold air wash over her. The air feels amazing on her heated and tense skin, and she closes her eyes, and drops her head back in euphoria.   
  
“Man, that’s good,” she says loudly, and part of her considers grabbing the closest tub of ice-cream and pressing it to her forehead.

“ _Blondie_?” 

Felicity’s eyes fly open quickly, her head snapping back down so quickly it sends a shooting pain down her neck as she diverts her attention to the end of the aisle, where an older, _beardier_ and better-dressed version of her old friend is standing. His face breaks into a smile, and he strides down the aisle towards her quickly. 

“… _Roy_?” she asks almost breathlessly as he approaches, and his grin at seeing her is so blinding for a moment, even though he looks vastly different, it feels like no time has passed. Like she’d just said goodbye to him again yesterday.

“Look at you!” He says with delight, gesturing to the incredibly round belly in front of him. “You’re…Felicity, you _look_ amazing!” He says, sweeping her into a tight hug. 

Felicity, still in disbelief that Roy, _Roy Harper_ , the boy who _died_ to keep Oliver’s secret, is standing in front of her, older, more handsome, and definitely a million times happier than the last time she saw him. 

She opens and closes her mouth like a goldfish for a moment or two, trying to put her baby brain in order. 

“What… are you doing here?” She asks as he lets her go. “…in _Star City_?” 

Roy gives her a wide smile, grinning from ear to ear as he spots her target–her favorite ice-cream flavor, one they’d shared dozens of times in the arrow cave, miserably lamenting the Queen Siblings. 

“It’s a long story…” he tells her. He points to the ice-cream on the top shelf. “Can I get that for you?”

Felicity nods dumbly, still shocked to see him and his bright smile, and she watches him curiously as he reaches for the ice-cream. He hands it to her with a wink, and in response she lets out a huge sob. 

Felicity has a million questions, a million things to say, but the only thing she’s able to process is, “Oh Roy,” and then she bursts into tears, hurling herself at the bewildered and startled man, the ice-cream tucked under her arm. 

He looks so different, the last couple of years on the run having aged him. He seems broader, stronger, less skinny, more mature like he's finally aged into his long limbs. His face has aged the most, and Felicity supposes it's because he's had to change his appearance out of fear of being recognized as Roy Harper or the original Arrow. He's no longer clean-shaven, his chiseled jaw covered by a thick short dark beard that suits him more than Felicity would have ever imagined.

He's still got a lot of work to do to match John's bulk, but he's closer to Oliver's build now, and Felicity smiles when she considers that while Roy used to have speed and agility on his side over Oliver’s quick and trained movements, he'd probably put Oliver on his ass with just brute force behind him now. 

“How are you here?” Felicity asks. “Are you back?"

He shakes his head. “ _Not really_ , no. I am actually in Central City, working with Barry…”

Felicity’s mouth falls open. “You’re Barry's new recruit?!”

“Newish,” Roy confirms happily. “I have been helping out from time to time over the past couple of months.” 

“But you’re not a meta right...? I mean everything's all good _health_ wise.” 

Roy chuckles. “Nope, no more superhuman abilities for me. I am just a regular old vigilante Felicity.” 

“Well,” Felicity says, tears welling in her eyes again, but she swipes them away like it’s a common occurrence. “I have missed you.”

Roy frowns. “Are you crying again?” 

Felicity nods, sniffing back her tears. “ _Hormones.”_

Roy gives her an understanding look, a smile playing on his face.“Felicity, what are you doing out in the middle of the night _so pregnant_ …”

Felicity hikes her chin, her hand pressed to her left side where Zoe’s currently kicking the hell out of her. 

“I wanted ice cream,” she tells him, as the baby kicks at her hand. “And Oliver's not here, so what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Wait…if you’re part of Barry’s team, why are _you_ here? Don’t you know there is a thing going down…? _Oh god_ …” Felicity grabs Roy’s forearm quickly, squeezing tightly as another contraction hits, the ice-cream clutched precariously to her chest.

“Are you in _labor_?” Roy asks incredulously, doing his best to be supportive, his hand slipping to Felicity’s elbow to help steady her as her knees bend a little and she scrunches her face, taking loud deep breathes through the pain. 

“Maybe…” Felicity tells him, exhaling loudly, and wiping the back of her hand across her forehead. 

“Yes, you are!” Roy says in alarm. “Felicity, why are you out getting ice-cream and not at the hospital?” 

Felicity rolls her eyes, her hands slipping to clutch the small of her back, as she tries to stretch out her aching spine again. 

“ _No one knows_. I’ve got a few hours before anyone needs to panic. My contractions are about forty minutes apart at the moment.” 

Roy sighs. “Don’t you think you should _tell_ Oliver? So he can get back from Central City in time…” 

Felicity rolls her eyes again. “I’ve been trying,” she tells him, leaning on the cold glass of the ice-cream cabinet. “He’s not answering and I can’t get onto anyone in CC…they’ve clearly got their hands full."

“Right,” Roy says. “Well, if you won’t go to the hospital, I’m taking you home.” He slips his phone out of his pocket. “Where is your car?” 

Felicity gives him a sheepish smile. 

"I don't even fit behind the wheel of the Porsche anymore, and the new car isn't ready to be picked up until next week. I got an Uber," Felicity says with a smile. "Picking up a heavily pregnant lady demanding ice-cream was a surprise for poor Jake. I gave him five stars."

Roy blinks and then lets out a frustrated sigh, prompting a wide smile from Felicity. 

“You’re killing me Blondie. Or at least Oliver will.” He quickly swipes through his recent call list in his phone and hits connect. “Hey babe, can you meet me at Oliver and Felicity’s please?”

“Oh my god,” Felicity says loudly so that Thea on the other end of the phone can hear, “you’re the Central City mystery man!” 

Over in Orchid Bay, standing in her kitchen, one hand pouring a fresh glass of wine, the other clutching the phone to her ear, Thea Queen rolls her eyes. “I guess the cat’s out of the bag now…” 

 

FOUR HOURS LATER

“…Explain it to me _again_ Roy,” Felicity demands with a groan, her elbows and forearms resting on the back of the leather sofa as she stands, hunched forward, her stance wide and position almost yoga like, trying to breathe through her latest contractions. 

Roy, who’s hovering nervously nearby, watching as Thea paces across the living room trying desperately to contact anyone from Team Flash, gives Felicity a calming smile. 

“I’m here transporting two metas from the STAR labs prison that Lyla’s had her eye on,” Roy repeats for what feels like the tenth time. “I work for ARGUS.”

“And your name is now James?” Felicity asks.

Roy nods. “When Lyla recruited me last year, ARGUS gave me a new identity to help cut through all the red tape that comes with being a fugitive."

Roy fishes into his pants pocket for his wallet and pulls out his new ID. He smiles at it for a moment, because his new identity is still a novelty, before handing it over to Felicity, who is happy for the distraction.He's just as bearded in the photo, but his name and details have been replaced with a James Jackson from Central City. 

"James Jackson," Felicity says. "Someone in ARGUS enjoys alliteration," she says handing it back to him. 

"Or humor," Roy smiles. 

"Why did it take you so long to come back?" Felicity asks. "Especially if Lyla gave you a new identity. ARGUS is _based_ here. And why Central City? You know we'd love to have you here. _Thea_ would love to have you here,” she says pointedly, throwing a look at her sister-in-law, who is leaving the _fiftieth_ voicemail for Oliver. 

Roy gives her a comforting smile.

"No one knows me in Central City, except for Team Flash. I can be James and not have to worry at each turn that I might by chance run into someone who might recognize me. Even Joe is surprising cool with it." Roy heaves a sigh, but his smile softens. "I miss it here, but Central City is a new start without always looking over my shoulder. I thought I wanted a normal life away from this life for a while, but normal’s a bit over-rated right?" 

Thea smiles at him because they all know–all having tried for a normal life at some stage over the past few years–that their lives just aren't the same without their _double_ lives. 

Felicity starts to cry again, swiping at her tears, but she smiles at the bewildered look on Roy's face.

"Oh Roy," she says. "We ruined your life didn't we?"

Roy shakes his head, smiling at her. 

"I'd do it again in a heartbeat to be here to see you bring your baby into the world. This was worth _everything_ Felicity." 

"You have to say that," Felicity sniffs. “We stole your future.” 

Roy gives her a kind smile and steps closer to pat her back comfortingly. 

“Cheer up, Blondie," he says cheerfully. "It all worked out in the end. My future is pretty fine. Besides, Central City isn't so bad." 

"Your girlfriend doesn't live there though," Thea says her smile more pained and honest than Thea would like to admit as she pockets her phone, her frustration and worries over not being able to reach Oliver, or anyone in Central City, playing on her face. 

Roy grimaces at her. "She doesn't," he admits. "But I am all over the place so much with ARGUS anyway, it wouldn't matter if we _were_ in the same city." 

And the way Roy gives her a tender look, Felicity gets the distinct impression that they've had this conversation a few times. And seeing them together, knowing that her happiness, unfortunately, came at the sacrifice of theirs makes Felicity sad. 

"Hormones?" Roy asks as Felicity reaches for the tissues on the nearby side table. 

But his understanding is misread, and Thea glares at him incredulously.

" _Never_ ask a pregnant woman about her hormones," Thea tells him sternly wiggling a finger at him. 

Roy gives them a bewildered look and Felicity chuckles at his confusion.

"But you said..." and both women cock their eyebrows at him. He holds his palms up. "I concede in confusion.”

Lucky for Roy, he’s saved by Thea’s phone, when the screen lights up with Iris’ number.

“Oh thank god, Iris," she breathes desperately into the phone. "Thanks for calling me back. Listen, I am trying to track down Oliver...Felicity's gone into labor and–okay. _Thank you_. We're at the house. Talk soon. Bye." 

Thea hangs up and breathes a sigh of relief. 

"She's on it,” She tells Felicity, hands on hips watching as Felicity straightens and wipes some sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She's flushed and grumpy and refuses to sit still. "She said Oliver's phone got meta'd-"

Felicity turns to Thea fiercely, and it is a lifetime of loud voices rolled into one.

" _Are you fucking kidding me_...?" Felicity spits in a high pitched voice that has Roy's eye twitching and all of their eardrums in distress. 

"Did you hear that?" Thea asks Roy, pressing her finger in her ear to stop the ringing Felicity's shrill voice has produced. 

Felicity looks at Roy fiercely almost daring him to answer. 

"Nope," he says quickly, with a smile. "I heard nothing."

"Coward," Thea mouths to Roy with an eye roll. 

Felicity groans in loud frustration, rubbing her stomach as she starts to pace the length of the living room. 

“Calm down munchkin," she tells her belly tenderly. "Just hang on a bit longer until we find your useless Daddy." Felicity turns to Thea. "Is Iris going to get onto him?"

Thea gives her a comforting smile. "Yes, she said she was just heading over to meet them at STAR labs…” 

A few minutes later, without warning, a red blur flashes through the room in a loud whoosh, dropping Oliver between Felicity and Thea and then materializing as Barry in a nonchalant pose near the fireplace. Oliver opens his eyes reluctantly, one eye at a time as he quells the speed sickness before he steps towards Felicity quickly with an apologetic look on his face. 

"Where have you been?" Thea chides, "I have been calling all of you for hours..." 

But Oliver only has eyes for Felicity. He tries to reach for her to pull her into an embrace, but Felicity takes a step back.

"I am sorry-"

"I told you not to leave the city!" She snaps at him. “I told you that Diggle could go, but you insisted on going-"

" _Hey_ ," Oliver says sweetly, stepping closer again to place his hands on her swollen belly. "I am here now, okay? I am sorry. It's going to be okay." Oliver's eyes sweep around the room and his brows shoot up in surprise.

" _Roy_?"

Roy sends Oliver a large smile and hesitantly gives him a wave. "Hey man, good to see you." 

Barry gives them both a cheesy smile and steps forward to bump his fist against Roy's. Neither looks the least bit surprised to see each other. 

"Hey man, how'd everything go with-" Barry feels Oliver and Felicity staring at him and when he looks over, meeting their bewildered looks, he nervously shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. "We can ah, get up to speed _later_..." he says, trailing off nervously. 

Oliver seems torn and he turns towards Roy, about to ask exactly what he's doing here, when Felicity groans in pain, clutching at Oliver's wrists, her nails making deep crescent marks in his skin.

“Woah…” Oliver says in surprise, earning an angry glare from Felicity, still trying to breathe through the contraction. 

Thea holds up her arm and shows her identical nail marks up her forearm. 

"Now you know what we've been dealing with for the past _four_ hours," Thea tells him, earning a glare from Felicity. 

Felicity heaves a sigh as the contraction passes, and her grip relaxes as she leans forward, her shoulders dropping a little as her energy level wanes. Oh man, she still had such a long way to go. 

"You've been in labor for four hours?" Oliver asks, slightly outraged he didn't hear sooner. Sure his phone has been a pile of smashed Tech parts since early evening…but she’s been in labor for _hours_ …

“Seven- _ish_ ," Felicity says, "I didn't realize at first. She’s not due for another couple of weeks..."

" _Seven_ hours?" And Oliver's tone suggests he's not impressed. 

" _You_ were in Central City..." Felicity says angrily, her voice shrill and loud. 

Oliver grimaces. “Which is something I’m sure I’ll never hear about again," Oliver teases, but his attempt to lighten the mood falls flat and Felicity shakes him off angrily, sighs with frustration and starts pacing again.

The room is fraught with tension. Roy is literally the elephant in the room no one is game to broach given Felicity's current urgency, but everyone is giving each other side glances, trying to seem as small as possible, hoping to not draw attention to themselves and the wraith of the impending Momma Queen. 

Roy clears his throat.

"Is there anything you need us to do?” Roy asks, prompting Oliver to turn towards him. 

“Stay put," Oliver tells him. "I need you to stay put until _you_ and I..." he gestures between himself and Roy, and then looks at Barry, "and _you_ and I...have a little talk about not including us in this loop..." Like Felicity, Oliver's realized pretty quickly from the way his two protégés had greeted each other that Roy was the mystery new Team Flash member, and he's not impressed that he seems to be the last to know, especially after spending the last two days almost _glued_ to Barry’s side. 

" _Huh_ , I see the Dad thing now," Barry muses to Thea, who gives him a toothy smile in return. "You meant for him to stay put right?" Barry asks Oliver, not the least bit concerned around the frown now settled on his mentor's face. "Because you owe me one given I got you here in time for the birth of your daughter, and I am cashing that in _right_ now to head home to my own wife." Oliver doesn't have a chance to reply before Barry grins at him. “I'm going to take that scowl as a yes. Good luck!" Barry says, heading towards the living room doorway, "Send me a picture of little Zoe when she's finally here!"

And with a whoosh, he's gone again. 

Oliver turns his attention back to Felicity, who’s pacing in front of him, rubbing her stomach almost absentmindedly, her bottom lip worried between her teeth. 

"She's early," she tells him, her brow furrowed when they meet eyes. 

"She doesn't take after me then," he admits, slipping his jacket off and throwing it over the back of the couch. 

He steps forward again, stilling her, his hands settling on the sides of her belly gently. He brushes his lips against hers quickly, and then tucks some of her wayward sweaty hair from around her face behind her ear. 

"She's going to be born on your birthday I just know it," Felicity tells him. 

Oliver turns thirty-three _tomorrow_. 

“You get me the best gifts," he tells her with a huge smile. 

"Not fair," Felicity grumbles. "I carry her for _eight and half months_ and she decides to be born on _your_ birthday. She’s such a Daddy's girl already. Did you get the meta?" 

Oliver nods with a smile. “Yes. And you _found_ Roy?" Oliver asks, curiosity written all over his face.

"Long story," Felicity tells him, her lip worried between her teeth again.

Oliver, sensing Felicity's mood swinging from anger to worry, reaches up to cup her face. 

"Hey. _We_ got this, okay?" He tells her confidently with a smile. " _We_ got this." 

Felicity heaves a sigh of relief. 

"We got this," she repeats, as his thumb strokes her flushed cheek, his eyes sweeping across her face like he's trying to memorise this tender moment between them. "We got this."

But, their calmness is short-lived because without warning Felicity's water breaks, garnering everyone's attention as Felicity let's out a surprised cry. 

"Oliver," she says looking up at him, completely terrified that this is _it_ , this means she _really_ is in labor. "I think we’re about to have a _baby_.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Please leave me a comment - it helps me write faster!


	6. The DILF (October 2026)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #6 The DILF (October 2026): Felicity learns about Oliver's popularity with the Moms at Zoe's school.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This is a short one. I’m #sorrynotsorry about this chapter. It’s wildly inappropriate, but I couldn’t help myself. I've also done a shameful quick edit, so any errors are stupid and mine.

 

 

**WHEN WE WERE YOUNG**

**#6 THE DILF**

 

**OCTOBER 2026**

The request comes from nowhere, catching Felicity off guard as she tucks seven-year-old Zoe in for bed. 

Five minutes earlier she’d been braiding Zoe’s shoulder length blond hair without a care, but now Zoe’s uncharacteristically quiet, like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. It’s a trait she gets from her father, brooding and worrying about things way out of her control. 

“Momma, can you please take me to school tomorrow?” Zoe asks, her bottom lip worried between her teeth as she pulls back the purple polka-dot comforting on her bed and slips in. 

Felicity’s brow knots and she looks up from fetching Biscuit, Zoe’s tan colored fluffy toy bunny, from the floor. The room is surprisingly clean, something Felicity is grateful Oliver supervised while she had been feeding their youngest daughter. They had their nightly routine prior to leaving for the bunker down to a fine art.

“Munchkin,” Felicity says genuinely, sitting down on the edge of Zoe’s bed, placing a kiss on Zoe’s forehead, “you know Daddy takes you to school and picks you up because it’s right near Daddy’s work.”

Zoe frowns and sighs a little, pulling the covers up to her chin.

“But Momma, I don’t want Daddy to take me to school tomorrow.” 

The request hits Felicity square in the chest because it’s a ritual they both love, and it melts Felicity’s heart every morning as they head off together out the front door, Zoe’s oversized backpack bouncing, her little fingers clutched in Oliver’s.

“Why honey?” Felicity asks. “You love when Daddy takes you to school.” 

Zoe’s bottom lip drops and Felicity can see her little mind ticking away. 

“I know but the other mommas, they say _stuff_.” 

“ _Stuff_?” 

Zoe nods and sits up quickly.

“Yes,” she whispers scandalously. “Stuff about Daddy’s _butt_.” 

Felicity tries not to choke on her laughter. This was a not a conversation she was expecting to have. 

“ _Daddy’s butt_?” Felicity clarifies handing Biscuit over. 

Zoe nods again, clutching Biscuit close. Felicity knows asking questions opens a whole can of worms, but she can’t help herself, she’s too intrigued by the snooty school Moms she thankfully has so little to do with. 

“What about Daddy’s butt _exactly_?” Felicity queries innocently, prompting Zoe to roll her azure blue eyes. And that right there, that move, is completely her. Sometimes it is like looking in a mirror, other times, it’s like looking at a mini version of Oliver, grumpiness, and stubbornness in tow. Zoe’s so much like both of them, whereas little Robbie, equally blond like his dad, is all clumsiness and curiosity like her. At four he's much more concerned with tinkering with toys and the tablet and drawing, instead of Zoe whose after school commitments range from ballet to athletics and playing secret agents with JJ Diggle in the backyard. 

“ _Momma_ ,” Zoe groans like she doesn’t want to talk about it. “You know…that it’s _cute_.” 

Felicity bites her lip. “The other Momma’s at school talk about Daddy’s cute butt in front of you?” 

Zoe shakes her head. “I overhear them when they think no one is listening. Mrs Charters also thinks that he’s a…” Zoe thinks for a moment, searching for the word. “…a dill?”

“A dill?…” Felicity’s eyes go wide when she realizes what Zoe means. She doesn’t catch herself before she says, “A DILF? Mrs Charters calls Daddy a _DILF_?” Felicity slaps her hand over her mouth, but Zoe nods. 

“That’s it. A DILF,” Zoe repeats like a parrot, and oh god, she didn’t just teach her seven-year-old that word. That’s decidedly terrible. “Momma, what’s a DILF?” 

Both Queen women hear a cough from the doorway and look up to see Oliver, dressed in casual clothes and ready for them to head out to the bunker to meet Diggle, his eyebrows furrowed at the current conversation he’s just walked into. 

“A DILF?” Oliver queries, looking at Felicity incredulously, his mouth slightly agape and eyes teasing her mercilessly. 

He’d just had an interesting and surprising conversation about how Daddy was going to _“shoot the monster in the garage with the bow and arrow”_ with four-year-old Robbie, but this totally takes the cake. 

“Momma?” Zoe asks timidly, looking a little worried from the look on her father’s face that maybe she shouldn’t have said anything at all. 

Felicity glances between her daughter and her husband considering that one way or another she’s not going to answer this question correctly. Oliver looks so mildly pleased with himself that she wants to smack him. Or maybe kiss him. 

“Momma?” Oliver asks, a little bit smugly if Felicity’s honest, folding his arms against his chest. Felicity rolls her eyes at him, _the stupid DILF._

Felicity turns back to Zoe, gesturing for her to lie down again and once’s she curled into the pillow, Felicity gently tucks the blanket in around her. 

“If I agree to take you to school tomorrow, and every day for the rest of the week, do you promise to never say that word again?” Felicity bargains. 

She can see Oliver’s smile drop a little at the prospect that he’s been ousted for drop off duty, but she figures once she explains, that he’s got a whole host of private school mothers talking about his cute butt every morning, and Zoe’s teacher calling him a DILF, that he’ll be okay with it. Cocky even.

Zoe’s face colors, her little lip worried between her teeth again. “Is it a _bad_ word?” 

Felicity shakes her. “It’s not a bad word honey, but it’s only for adults. You know the words we were talking about the other day? The naughty ones that maybe Daddy and Momma say sometimes but you shouldn’t until you’re a grown-up?” Zoe nods. “That word is one of those.”

Felicity gives Zoe a warm smile and leans over to place a wave of kisses all over Zoe’s face, eliciting squeals from the girl.

“Okay, sleep time. I love you munchkin.” Felicity says brightly, pulling back, and making sure that Biscuit is all tucked in too. “Biscuit, keep an eye on Zoe okay? Don’t forget, you’re in charge.” 

“Momma,” Zoe giggles. “That’s silly! Pop’s in charge, _not_ Biscuit.” 

“Oh!” Felicity laughs. “That makes more sense.” She places another kiss on Zoe’s forehead. “Be good for Pop then okay? He’s had a big day at work with Daddy and he wants to watch the Rocket’s game, so no _monkey_ business with Robbie okay? Say it…” 

Zoe grins. “No monkey business,” she repeats. 

“Good girl,” Felicity smiles, getting to her feet. She passes Oliver in the doorway and gives him a bright smile as she steps into the hallway. 

Zoe gives Oliver a wave. “Goodnight Daddy. Be safe at the Bunker.” 

Oliver huffs a laugh. “I will honey. Love you.” 

“Love you too,” she says, and with another wave, Oliver flicks off the light and steps out into the hallway, closing the door over behind him. 

Felicity is waiting for him wearing a teasing grin. 

“You wanna tell me about the _DILF_ conversation and why I’ve been dumped from drop off duty?” Oliver asks in a low voice, trying to not be overheard through the crack in the door. 

Felicity chuckles and gestures that they should move their conversation down the hall into their bedroom so she can change for the bunker. He follows her diligently, close enough that he can wrap his arms around her, dropping tender kisses on her shoulder as he walks her into their bedroom. 

Felicity waits until they cross the master bedroom threshold before revealing, “Zoe asked if I can take her to school tomorrow because the Mom’s of the girls in her class talk about your cute butt.” 

Oliver grins as she turns in his embrace. “I’m sorry, my _what_ now?” 

Felicity shrugs. “You’re cute butt,” she says with a wink. “And given your butt still looks the same in green leather as it did when I met you fourteen years ago, I’d have to agree with the school Moms. _You do_ have a cute butt.” 

“My butt is _forty years old_. I know because it takes a lot more effort than it did _fourteen years ago_ to get out of bed in the morning. _And_ land propelling arrows as smoothly,” he tells her, as she slips out of his grasp, and busies herself swapping her sandals for boots and her t-shirt with pumpkin stains from dinner for a clean one. “And the DILF?” 

Finally out of earshot of her seven-year-old, Felicity laughs heartily. 

“Oh, you’re going to love it. Mrs Charters apparently called you a _DILF_.” 

Oliver snorts, a large grin on his face. “Come on, Mrs Charters? She’s like a hundred. How does she even know what a DILF is?” 

Felicity laughs. “I have no idea,” she says brushing her lips against his cheek before slipping reluctantly into to the adjoining bathroom to check her reflection. 

“Out of interest,” Oliver says following her, leaning in the door jamb as he watches her freshen up. “how do you feel about the DILF comment?”

Felicity rolls her eyes at his reflection in the mirror. “Oliver, We have a four-month-old baby…” 

“So, you agree?” he grins.

Felicity laughs. “Yes, Oliver, you are a _DILF_.” 

“Will that be my official title at QI next year?” he teases, arms crossed against his chest as he watches her do a final once over of her hair, making herself somewhat presentable even if she’s about to do a five-hour shift at her keyboard. 

Felicity grins at him and shakes her head. “No honey, your official title at QI will be Executive Assistant to the CEO, remember?”

Oliver laughs, but Felicity sends him a look that says she’s serious as she tightens the band on her ponytail and switches off the bathroom light, stepping past him. 

“You’re kidding, right? I know I said I didn’t care what my title was when I moved over to join the company, but I’ve been mayor of Star City for ten years. You’re demoting me to your EA?” 

Felicity beams at him. “Oh honey,” she says stepping forward to pinch his stubbly cheek, and Oliver relaxes when he realizes she was just playing with him. In fact, he blushes a little, and she can’t help but kiss him a little more heatedly this time, his arms slipping around her waist, holding her close. “I’m joking. You’d be a _terrible_ EA.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave me a comment before you go!


	7. One Day (September 2017)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #7: One Day (September 2017) - Thea gets a mystery message that prompts a secret visit to Central City, and back home Oliver and Felicity make a decision about their future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Thank you all for the incredible support on last chapter! It was very fun to write, but admittedly I did take the cheap way out. I wasn't particularly respectful to poor Oliver or little Zoe, and I apologize if it made anyone uncomfortable! 
> 
> Over the past six weeks, I have been working solidly on about seven different chapters for this story. All of them largely unfinished. Tonight I even thought of two more to add to my ever growing plan! So rest assured there is a bit of life still in this baby yet, and might even take us up to Season 6! This one isn't so Oliver/Felicity centric, but it's a Thea/Roy one. Happy reading (and commenting hopefully!)

 

**WHEN WE WERE YOUNG.**

**#7: ONE DAY**

**SEPTEMBER 2017.**

Thea Queen is rarely nervous.

She's faced bad guys, jumped off roofs and stared death in the face (more than once, but whose counting?).

But when a text comes in confirming her appointment at 10am, September 20th, Jason's Auto Center,213 Boston Avenue, Central City, Thea's heart nearly stops. _Roy_. 

Thea catches the red eye to Central City on the 20th. She's signed up for a City Management Conference in the CBD, or at least that's where her calendar and everyone at City Hall (including her brother) think she is, but once she lands at the airport, Thea catches an Uber to 213 Boston Avenue.

Boston Avenue is in the industrial part of town, three blocks away from the main road, one that leads right to Star Labs; but 213 is set back off the street, and is hidden down an alleyway that if the last few years of Thea's life hadn't included sketchy happenings, might actually set some alarm bells off in her head. With her shoulders straight and her jaw set in that formidable Moira Queen way, Thea heads for the dark blue grey roller door and decrepit looking warehouse building where the number 213 is painted in peeling and faded white paint.

The heavy industrial door to the left of the roller door is unlocked and Thea, after looking up and down the deserted alleyway to make sure no one sees her, slips inside. Its dark inside, the main light peaking into the old disused space from high rectangular windows set in the eaves of the roof. It reminds her a lot of the foundry before Oliver had remodelled, and the thought brings a smile to her face. She wonders if that's why Roy wanted to meet here, for its familiarity. 

The warehouse is largely empty and disused and Thea steps into the space, her hands hidden in the hip pockets of her red trench coat, her black pumps crunching on the gravelly dirty floor as her eyes scan the room.

" _Jason_?" She calls, her voice echoing off the walls and concrete. 

The name feels strange on the tip of her tongue and even though she's been thinking about this day for two weeks, she reaches up to tuck some hair behind her left ear nervously. She's rarely nervous, but now his fake name has left her lips, she's nearly sick with anxiousness. 

"You're late," a friendly voice says behind her, and she gasps, her heart in her throat as she spins around hand clutching her chest. 

She laughs when her eyes fall on a bearded Roy, dressed head to toe in black, his face bright with a large smile, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket.

_Damn_. He looks good. Great. Amazing even. He looks different, but she can see him, her Roy, there underneath the almost military attire and black leather jacket, buzzcut and well groomed beard. 

She wants to say something witty. Something lovely. But instead she walks right into his embrace, her lips moving against his softly, his fingers gripping the lapels of her jacket pulling her close. It feels like no time has passed and yet they are both infinitely different. They are older, stronger, more weathered. They've tried moving on, tried dating other people, tried to get a handle on their new lives without each other. But it's not that simple, it never was between them. Right from the moment he stole her purse, to the last time he kissed her goodbye two years ago. They can take the label off their relationship but they can't stop loving each other and maybe they never will. 

"Hi," Roy says to her when their kiss breaks, his forehead pressed to hers. 

"Hi yourself," she grins at him. She steps back, her fingers entwined with his as she takes a look around the room. "Are you going _out_ of business or going _into_ business?" She teases.

Roy chuckles. 

"I've actually given the Auto game away. Thought I might open a nightclub instead," he teases. "There is a great basement, perfect for _vigilanting_."

She grins. 

"You know there is already a vigilante team here right? A _fast_ one."

He laughs and nods.

"I do. I've seen Barry and Co a few times."

It’s news to her, but not entirely unsurprising. It’d be hard for Roy to be in a city where his friends are openly helping people and saving lives, and not want to help. She cocks her head at him curiously.

"Is that why you are here?”

She’s trying to not get her hopes up, trying to not be too standoffish or too keen. But she wants to know why he's here, in Central City of all places, in a City a great number of her friends and allies are in, a city only a few hours _away_ from her, and hasn’t made contact sooner. 

Roy just smiles. 

"Let me buy you breakfast and I can fill you in?" He suggests, hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. 

"All of it?" She asks skeptically, slender arms folded against her chest. "Because last time, you wouldn't tell me anything because you didn't want to complicate-"

"All of it," Roy says reassuringly. "I just need a coffee first. I've been up all night." Thea's eyebrow is still raised and Roy huffs a laugh. " _Working_ ," he says, and holds a hand out for her again. "Croissants and coffee. Are you really going to say no?"

 

*

 

"Okay, you've fed me baked goods and plied me with caffeine. _Spill_ ," Thea says with a smile, sitting back in her chair, her cup cradled in her fingertips as she sips at it. 

The cafe around her is busy with the tail end of the breakfast rush, so their secluded table for two near the window not only affords them a sunny view of Roy's brownstone across the road, but also the privacy for candid conversation. 

Roy clears his throat and replaces his own mug of coffee back on the table. He's been rehearsing his reveal to her for weeks, months even, and even now as the words are on the tip of his tongue, he's still not convinced they are right. He gives a small wave, one that is slightly dopey and has Thea smiling, before he says, “Hi, James Jackson, ARGUS. Nice to meet you." 

Thea's mouth falls open. "ARGUS? As in _Lyla Michaels_?"

Roy nods. "Yes. As in Lyla hired me, gave me a new identity, and a new life." Roy toys with his coffee cup nervously, allowing the information to sink in with Thea. She's studying him carefully, her brow knotted in that same hesitant way he's seen on her face, and Oliver's, a thousand times before. It's complete displeasure and it's calculating. And it's made even worse by her uncharacteristic silence. 

"Thea?" Roy asks hesitantly after a minute–a full minute–of silence. 

"ARGUS?" She repeats. "But you're a fugitive." 

Roy sits back in his seat and folds his hands into his lap. 

"James isn't." He tells her. “And I’m not either _._ Roy Harper no longer exists Thea; I can be him anymore.”

Thea frowns and leans forward, her elbows on the table.

"I thought you were going to start a quiet little life somewhere...that I was going to find you with an auto shop and a little house, maybe even a nice little school teacher, in some town in Portland or Georgia or _something_. Not...this." 

Roy frowns. "You don't even know what I do at ARGUS..."

"I don't have to know," Thea says adamantly cutting him off. She realises her voice has hiked in volume and she swallows and forces a whispered replied. "And okay, ARGUS aren't what they used to be, but they are still black ops military. Still unsanctioned spies." Thea frowns. "Lyla offered John a job after he got back from deployment. He said no. Repeatedly. _Emphatically_. I love Lyla, but ARGUS aren't good people _James_." 

Roy sighs. "We are trying to change that..." he says rubbing his face. 

Thea scoffs. "Trying? How? Is ARGUS still putting bombs in people's brains? Threatening to detonate them if they don't do what ARGUS needs?" 

Roy frowns. "Taskforce X are different..."

Thea scoffs and sits further forward in her seat closing the distance between them as her whispered accusations become more animated. "Is ARGUS still stealing technology from people like Curtis and Felicity and trying to weaponise it?" 

Roy sighs again, his shoulders slumping a little as he leans back in his chair. 

"We can't cast stones Thea; none of us can. We all have blood on our hands. Even Felicity. And if Felicity Smoak has tallies in her ledger then how are the rest of us meant to fair?" 

"Ugh," Thea says, making a face of disgust. Because he's right, she's being a hypocrite but she can't help it. She doesn't want this for him. If he goes back to this life, this brutal life, then they lost years together all for nothing. 

"I am trying to start fresh Thea,” he tells her gently. “I tried the whole, small town, date a nice little southern girl thing. And it _sucked_. I missed making a difference. I missed _you_."

Thea bites at her bottom lip. "Don't use my feelings for you against me Roy. That's not fair." 

"It's the truth. I miss you. And I'm in Central City because I am working with the Metas. We've been helping Barry clean out some of the cells at Star Labs over the past few months to help rehabilitate those that want a second change with their powers.” He takes a deep breath. “I asked Lyla not to say anything to you."

Thea lets out an exasperated sigh and places her coffee on the table in front of her. "This is going to be it isn't it?" She asks him pensively, chewing at her red painted lips. "For Us? I accept this or I lose you for good?”

Roy hates the sound of that, he’s not by any stretch intentionally giving her an ultimatum, but when she puts it like that…she’s kind of right. She has to accept his new life and be a willing participant in it, or realistically they have to be done. 

“Thea,” Roy says calmly, reaching across to take her hand, stroking his thumb against hers. "I will do _anything_ in my power, whatever you want, to make it work between us this time. But the two things I _can't_ change right now are ARGUS and Central City. I owe Lyla and it doesn't come without stipulations." 

Thea's brow furrows. "You're working off a debt to her?" 

"To ARGUS, yes. New identities as squeaky clean as mine aren't cheap..."

Thea hikes her chin. She's got money. She'd gladly pay for her boyfriend's freedom...

As if reading her mind, Roy smiles and shakes his head. "I owe service... _time_. Not money."

"How long?"

"Five years." 

Thea places her hand over Roy's, holding one of his with both of hers. Five years is something she has no choice but to accept. And it sucks. Because this is a way they can be together. The only way. She has no choice. 

"It's better than a lifetime I guess," Thea concedes. 

Roy smiles. "I would have told you sooner, but I wanted to be sure I could do this, that I could work with ARGUS and Team Flash before I got either of our hopes up. And I wanted to tell you first before Oliver and Felicity and John. Felicity's identities were good but Lyla got me an actual government pardon. Signed by the _President_. As long as I keep my head down, pay off my debt, eventually I get to be a free man...just not as Roy Harper." 

"How are we going to make this work? We live in two different cities. You are essentially a spy, with a new identity, and I work in public service...we can't _openly_ be together. Someone is bound to note how similar you look to Roy Harper."

Roy grimaces. "Honestly? I have no idea," he says with a deep breathe. "It's something I was hoping we could figure out _together_...?" 

Thea considers him for a moment, and in that moment, their life together plays through her mind: getting married…living together in Star City…playing Uncle and Aunt to Oliver and Felicity’s future kids…Thea pregnant and nesting in her own home, a family of little boys running around in the backyard…the two of them suiting up together…sunday night dinners at Oliver and Felicity's with wine and laughter…It’s a life she wants, and it's a life she wants with _him_.

"I liked Roy Harper…" she laments sadly. 

"So did I," he agrees. 

"...but I think James Jackson is my future. Even if Thea Jackson sounds less _baller_ than Thea Harper." 

Roy laughs, a hearty happy laugh, and he gets to his feet to kiss her softly across the table, one hand steadied on the table top, the other cupping her cheek. 

"Do you think we can get these to go?" Thea asks pointing at their coffees as Roy takes a seat again. "If I am going to be spending a lot more time in Central City outside of Team Flash crises, I'd like to see the city properly."

Roy grins. "How long are you here for?" 

"Just the day. My flight leaves at 4pm.” 

There is a certain sadness that falls between them that even though this is happening, they’ll be physically apart again in just a matter of hours. 

"Then we'd better get started."

 

*

 

**THAT EVENING. STAR CITY.**

The bunker is surprisingly empty when Thea arrives, not a member of Team Arrow in sight.

She'd debated going straight home to wallow having to leave Roy again with a bottle of red wine and a cheesy chick flick, but she also didn't want to be too alone with those thoughts in her now seemingly miserable studio apartment in Orchid Bay.

"Hello? Anyone home?" She asks, stepping out of the elevator and heading straight up the steps to Felicity's platform. 

"Heya," Felicity says, emerging from the direction of the bathroom, and ascending the stairs on the opposite side of the platform, her smile not as bright as Thea is used to. "I wasn't expecting you here tonight. John and Curtis are downstairs training and Oliver’s caught up, his meeting ran late at City Hall.”

Thea gives her a shrug as Felicity busies herself checking her monitors quickly, and then blows out a deep breath, like she's trying to hold back tears, and lowers herself into her chair. 

"Thought I'd do some training after being cooped up in the conference and on the plane all day," Thea says, shrugging off her jacket. "Are you okay?" 

Felicity nods, giving Thea another fake smile as she spins around to face her. "Yeah.... _yes_. Yes, I am fine. Just you know… _work stuff_.” 

Thea bites at her lip because she suspects that its more than that, but she’s not one to pry too much these days. She knows that Oliver and Felicity have been trying over the past few months, since the miscarriage, to get pregnant again, but it's a topic that is so deeply traumatic for Felicity, even as her best friend and sister in law, Thea’s not really sure how to brooch it. 

“Well, let me know if you want to talk about it,” Thea tells her comfortingly, her hand lingering supportively on Felicity’s shoulder for a moment. 

Felicity looks up at Thea with a smile. “Thanks, I will. So, how was Central City? Iris said on the phone last week when I RSVP’d for the wedding that they’ve named a hot dog after Barry now.” 

Thea laughs as she shrugs off her coat. “They do, at Big Belly, which will surely upset Oliver to no end. And I must say, it’s pretty good. They make little lightning shaped ketchup and mustard shapes on top. It’s adorable.”

Felicity laughs. “Sounds tasty. How was the conference?"

"Good," Thea tells her. "Lots of public policy things. You know. All the boring stuff." Felicity nods in agreement. And even though Thea and Roy had agreed to keep their relationship secret for a while, until they could figure out how Roy's life in Star City could work, Thea finds herself saying, "I ummm, I actually had a date while I was there." 

"In Central City?" Felicity asks in surprise. "Who?"

"Yeah. Just someone I knew a lifetime ago. When things were a bit simpler." 

Thea now has Felicity's full attention, and the blonde gets out of her seat, excitement on her face. " _And_? How did it go?"

Thea grins.   
  
"Really well," she admits, her cheeks blushing a little. "I mean the distance _sucks_. But, I like him. A lot. What?" 

Felicity grins.  
  
"I haven't seen that look for a long time," she tells her happily, the elevator doors sliding open as Oliver arrives. “Since Alex. It’s nice to see you smile over a boy again.”

Thea rolls her eyes at her and they both turn their attention towards Oliver, who gives them both a small wave as he heads up the stairs. 

"Hey," he says hugging Thea hello. "How was Central City?"

"Good," Thea tells him. "Lots to think about."

"Great, let’s debrief tomorrow," he says with a smile. He turns to Felicity, chastely brushing his lips against her cheek. “Hi." 

"Hi," she tells him sliding her hand into his. She grimaces at Thea. “Do you mind if we catch up on the central city mystery man a bit later? I need to talk to Oliver.” 

Thea doesn’t miss the way Oliver frowns, his hand letting go of Felicity’s and moving to rest in the small of her back protectively. Thea gives them both a happy smile, but she senses something isn’t quite right.

“Sure,” she says brightly, “I am going to head down for a workout anyway. Can we order some Chinese? I’m starving, and The Flash hotdog at Big Belly while delicious, wasn’t particularly filling.” 

Oliver cocks his head at Thea. “Barry has a _hotdog_ now?” 

Felicity rolls her eyes, her hand patting his chest. “You’re the Mayor Oliver, you win,” she teases, and he looks down at her with a playful narrowed eyed look. “I’ll order from Chinese Palace,” she tells Thea. 

Thea grins. “Excellent! Thank you!” Thea says brightly, heading down the stairs of the platform and towards the elevator again. “Don’t forget to hang a sock on the door, if you’re busy up here…” she teases, prompting Oliver to shake his head. 

Once the elevator doors close behind Thea, Oliver turns towards Felicity. 

"So?" he asks, eyebrows peaked with interest, waiting with bated breath for the news. They’d been talking about taking the pregnancy test all day via text, but Felicity has been so anxious about the result, she's messaged about half an hour ago to tell him she couldn't wait any longer, the anticipation was making it hard for her to concentrate on anything. 

Felicity sighs sadly and shakes her head, her lip quivering a little. If it hadn’t been for Thea, she’d have spent the last ten minutes fretting about the news she was about to tell Oliver. They usually take the test together, but today, she’d been so distracted, so anxious for the result, she’d skipped ahead without him…and had found herself even more devastated, because now she had to tell him the bad news too. Felicity reaches into the hip pocket of her blush pink leather jacket and pulls out the pregnancy test, placing it in his hands. 

"Negative," she says."Again." 

Oliver frowns at the offending piece of white plastic, turning it over in his hands, the little negative indicator staring up at him innocently. He pockets the test and then he pulls Felicity into his embrace, her face pressed into his jacket.

"Hey. It's okay," he tells her kissing the top of her head. 

She sighs, looking up at him, her fingers rubbing absentmindedly against his lapels. It’s a nervous thing she does, and he covers her hand with his, stilling her anxious fingers, squeezing them gently, trying to remind her that it's going to be okay. 

"I am so glad I have spent years needlessly worrying about birth control because it turns out, I'm _impregnable_ ," she jokes. 

Oliver frowns because, despite her charming and intentional misuse of the word, he knows she's devastated. _Again_. Felicity steps out of his embrace and heads for her computer, checking the CCTV downstairs in the gym, watching their friends train. Oliver follows, standing beside her dutifully, watching her carefully. She turns back to him, arms folded against her chest. 

“I think I want to stop trying," she says, and his face colors with surprise. "Not _forever_ , but for _now_. For a little while. It just hurts too much looking at negative tests every month. I need a break.”

He wants to disagree, but if he is honest, he kind of wants a break too. It's putting so much strain on them, on the rest of their lives living their days by ovulation calendars and fertility apps, that he thinks they both need to take the pressure off. Just for a little while. 

"If you're sure?" 

Felicity sighs heavily, rubbing her forehead anxiously. 

“I'm not, but I don't know what to do. It's our anniversary next month. Maybe we just enjoy being just _us_ for a little while longer. Who’d have thought with all our sexual chemistry, we’d be terrible at making babies?” 

Oliver huffs a laugh, because it’s honestly surprised him too, and kisses her softly. "I love you." He tells her. "And I am sorry. I know you though this time was it." 

She gives him a tender smile. “It’ll happen one day, right? We’ll just take a little break and regroup.” 

He nods, running his hand comfortingly from her shoulder down her arm, and tangling his fingers with hers again. “One day,” he tells her confidently. “One day.” 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me a comment and I'll get you some more stories as soon as I can!


	8. Negotiations (March 2018): EXPLICIT

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #8: Negotiations (March 2018) - EXPLICIT: Felicity’s negotiation tactics get Oliver a little hot and bothered after patrol…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: this wasn't meant to be chapter eight. But work got busy and I was writing the real 8, 9 and 10 concurrently like a chump because #committmentissues. And I just needed some Olicity to get me through the spare 20 minutes a day I have been getting that doesn't involve writing and designing documents for lawyers and accountants. Enjoy.
> 
> Look, this isn't earth shattering smut...but it's smuttier than previous chapters. A lot smuttier. I don't know where it came from. I think it's been stuck in my head since 5x20…
> 
> NB: all edit errors are mine because I wanted to try and meet my upload deadline. Sorry!

 

 

** WHEN WE WERE YOUNG. **

** CHAPTER EIGHT: NEGOTIATIONS. **

 

** MARCH 2018.  **

Oliver slams the door to the bunker bathroom angrily, the sound reverberating off the walls of gray tiles so loudly it makes him cringe.

He’s been back from patrol less than five minutes and in that time he’s done little more than force his faithful bow in the cabinet a little more vigorously than necessary and stormed away from his bad-tempered and hormonal wife. 

Felicity is almost six months pregnant, constantly worried and stressed, and currently going through mood swings more rapidly than Oliver could ever hope to keep track of; which means tension between them is at an all-time high. It's not real tension–not like the weeks they'd spent bickering at each other after he'd returned from Nanda Parbat (the first time), or the months they spent apart in close quarters after their breakup–but as of late the little things are getting them down. Even the simplest decision at the moment has them bickering and on tonight agenda is the bunker upgrades and renovations in preparation for BQ (Baby Queen).

Felicity wants to turn Oliver's old bedroom, the small room with a twin bed he'd slept in while they were separated, into a second nursery; a home away from home and somewhere their baby daughter will be safe away from all the sharp and pointy things when she is in the bunker.

But for Oliver, the solution isn't as simple as redecorating a disused bedroom.

He's not keen on them being away from their newborn baby every night, but he’s also not enthusiastic about having her in the bunker either. It's the same problem they'd face years ago with Sara Diggle at the Foundry: _babies don't belong in bunkers_. In _his_ bunker. Even though it's _their_ bunker, and if he's honest, more _her_ bunker given she keeps the power on and the tech working seamlessly so they can do their jobs; he just doesn't really know how a baby is meant to fit into this mix.

It had been such a romantic notion in the beginning when they’d first planned to have a baby together, juggling crimefighting and a family, but now that they were on the tail end of Felicity's pregnancy, it was a reality they had to start facing didn't fit together as easily as they’d imagined. They'd already brought a nice modest five bedroom house in Adam Heights–complete with the little white picket fence and room for kids and home offices– to accommodate their grown family, but tackling BQ’s place in the bunker was a whole other enigma.

Realistically they still have a few weeks time to sort through this properly, but Felicity’s currently fixated on with making a decision and renovations _now_.  But their conversation keeps circling back into the same constant pattern of ‘I don’t knows’ and ‘we need to make the right decision heres’ and Oliver, being the stubborn man that he is, continues to hold off on committing to things one way or another, concerned that their daughter is going to grow up with strange memories of masks and green lights, the sounds of nocking arrows and strategy chatter, and the natural ability to defuse bombs (they seem to end up disarming _a lot_ of bombs) and hacking government databases. 

With a frustrated sigh, Oliver heads for the shower at the end of the long thin bathroom and to his locker. He unzips his boots, slips them off, and undresses, leaving his clothes on the floor in a crumbled heap to deal later. He turns on the shower, powering it up to a heavy hot stream, so warm that it almost scolds his scarred skin, and steps in. 

The steam and powerful jets help to relieve some of the tension in his tight shoulders, and he stretches and flexes his neck against the water, feeling his frustration at his wife start to melt away. 

He's been standing there for a few minutes, eyes closed, rubbing the vein in his temple that currently has Felicity's name all over it, trying to work out exactly how he's going to win this argument because at the moment he's losing terribly, when he hears the door to the bathroom push open, close, and lock, and Felicity's footstep echo across the bathroom tiles towards him. 

He turns towards the open end of the stall and meets her gaze. In that moment, and that moment only, it annoys him just how much he loves her. That he can flick his intense emotions with her on and off based on hers. Anyone else and he is angry or frustrated or morose with them for chunks of time. But her, she has this ability to have him seething with anger one minute, and wanting to tear her clothes off in the next. And, he suspects that's exactly why she's here. She knows, and she is getting so damn good at exploiting it.

Felicity gives him a small smile and kicks off her ankle boots, pulls at her chambray button up to free it from her stretchy dark grey bodycon skirt and slips open the buttons. 

"What are you doing?" He asks, turning the hot water down, his head cocked in her direction.

"Getting in with you," she says, shimmying out of her skirt and cami. She stands there in her black underwear, her belly swollen with their baby, hands on hips. "Why, are you going to _protest_?" 

Oliver groans. "That's not a fair fight," he says as she finishes undressing, leaving her clothes tangled with his on the floor. She places her glasses on the nearby vanity and then feels her way with blurry eyes into the shower towards him.

"You know I'm right," she tells him as she approaches, her shoulders and head held high. She stops just a hairsbreadth away from him, almost chest to chest, and reaches up to caress his cheek. His skin is flushed and red from the warm water, his jaw tightly set in anger at her still. But his eyes have softened, and he's looking at her in that she's hung the moon look that makes her melt. 

"Are you trying to win this argument with sex?" He asks, and she laughs, stepping closer on tiptoes, winding her arm around his broad shoulders pressing her belly into his chiseled abdomen. 

Her movements force him to pull her close, his arm around her waist to steady her, and she takes it as encouragement, pressing herself closer to him. 

"Is it working?" 

Oliver smirks, his fingers gripping the soft skin of her hips. She knows it is. 

"You have me so conditioned," he tells her softly. "Being in any room alone with you at the moment has me _turned on_. I’m almost constantly in a state of being half hard." 

Felicity laughs, crowding him in against the wall of tiles, and she leverages her grip on his shoulders to bring his lips closer, pulling him in for a longing kiss. Oliver steps back against the wall willingly, his back hitting the chilled tiles roughly. He grins down at her, Cheshire Cat style, one hand pawing at her neck, crashing her lips against his ardently as the water beats down on them. He bends his knees so he can lift her, and in a swift move has them switching places, Felicity pressed against the wall, her legs around his waist and her naked body and swollen belly pressed against his. 

"Hey," he says brushing his nose against hers, her body pinned between his and the wall. "We didn't get to say hello properly before. We were already arguing about the nursery before I got back to the bunker..." 

Felicity smiles. "You know I'm right about the bedroom,” she tells him again, but she's a lot more modest this time around, less laying down the law with him like she had earlier, this time more sweet suggestion. And, okay, she could be right, it can't hurt to have somewhere babyproof in the bunker, but every decision at the moment comes with such an emotional explosion between them that it's hard to sift through their disagreements for wise ideas.

"Aren't you always?” he asks kissing her softly. 

Felicity snorts a laugh and presses one hand against his chest, tracing his Brava tattoo lazily. "I am sorry I am so... _hot-headed_ right now," she tells him, biting her lip self-consciously. "I hear myself, hear the words coming out of my mouth and I just think... _oh god Felicity, what the hell is wrong with you_." 

He gives her a tender smile and brushes his lips against hers softly in reply. And even though they are both naked, and moments ago he was pushing her up against the shower wall preparing to take her quickly, the arousal between them is more tender now, and they take it slow. 

They kiss, passionate open-mouthed, all-consuming kisses, ones that have them both panting, Felicity's head lolling back against the tiles as Oliver moves his lips to her neck, kissing along her jaw to just under her ear. It isn't long before he's pushing two fingers inside her slowly, holding her steady, with one strong arm, her own toned calves and legs helping hold her in place. 

He feels amazing inside her, his practiced fingers a welcome distraction from their earlier argument, as he strokes inside her with the precision of a man who knows exactly what his lover wants and enjoys. And if she's honest, his considered and quick pace never fails to get her wet or off. 

"I'm good," she tells him panting and opens her eyes to meet his azure blue ones, ones that have been fixed on her, watching the pleasure color her cheeks, her eyes squeezed closed, mouth agape, head back against the wall. "...I want you inside me. We don't have a lot of time..." 

"We'll take as much damn time as we want," he growls as he withdraws from her. Felicity laughs as he hoists her a little higher, both hands now on her buttocks, her legs still wrapped around his waist. She can see (just a little over her bulging belly) and feel his erection pressed against her core and he takes full advantage, grinding against her. 

But she's done playing. 

" _Honey,_ " she says curtly, palming his flushed face, locking eyes with him, "you have about three seconds to… _ohh god_." 

Oliver chuckles, dropping his mouth to her shoulder, kissing her neck softly as he pushes inside her. The angle and her full belly make it all a little less streamlined than usual, and when he's fully seated inside her, she wraps her arms higher around his neck, pulling herself higher so his thrusts are long and deep. 

But Felicity can't get there, and after a few minutes, she sighs loudly in frustration. Oliver's face is still buried in her shoulder, his beard leaving red marks against her skin. 

"This isn't working," she pants. It feels good, great even, but not great _enough_.

Oliver pulls back, slowing his thrusts, until he stops, fully seated inside her.The fullness has her groaning loudly, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth. He presses a kiss to her forehead. 

"Nothing?" He breathes because he's totally feeling it and it's mildly disappointing that she's not getting there with him, especially when he can feel how tightly she’s squeezing him inside her. 

She shakes her head, grimacing. "Nothing. Sorry, it's not you, it's this-"

He laughs, pressing a kiss to her forehead tenderly, before capturing lips softly. "Hey, I get it-"

"It's this stupid baby," she laments. "At this angle... she's sitting right here," she rubs her left ribs."...and I can't focus on anything but the way she's kicking me. Our daughter is the ultimate _cockblocker_." 

Oliver laughs heartily as he pulls out of her. "I am going to put you down..." 

"Ugh, we ruined a perfectly good erection," she tells him once her feet are flat on the floor again and he chuckles pulling her into a hug. 

"I still _have_ an erection."

Felicity grins and as she arches up on tiptoes to kiss him, she also winds one arm around his waist and slides the down his length slicked with her arousal. She grins at him, their eyes locking for a few seconds before she starts to lower to her knees.

But she doesn't get very far, barely to the point of bending her knees when Oliver takes her gently by the elbows. 

"Ah no," he says, stilling her, and then encouraging her to stand up straight. "I am not having my six-month pregnant wife, kneeling on cold hard shower tiles giving me a _blow job_." 

"I don't mind-”

"I _do_ ," Oliver tells her firmly. 

She delights in the way he kisses her again, his kisses turning dirty as he massages his tongue with hers, before biting her playfully on her bottom lip. 

Felicity grins as he breaks away from his lips, and lowers her hand to his cock again, taking him firmly in her hand. She can feel the warm shower streaming down her back, and she's still aroused and slick from their earlier attempt at lovemaking, but seeing him groan, his eyes fixed on hers, his brow relaxed and his anger with her completely dissipated, is fucking hot. He's single focused, his eyes on her and unwavering as she touches him until his breath stutters and his eyes squeeze shut when she labors at his leaking and sensitive tip with her palm.

"Do you want me to stop?" She asks teasingly her hand still working him expertly.

"Definitely not," he says hot in her ear, and she presses herself closer, their height difference pushing his slick and hard erection into the lower side of her belly, her wrist flourishing on every stroke, eliciting groans from him she’s realizing she’s sorely missed.

Admitted the hand job, on its own, doesn't feature very frequently in their repertoire, Oliver always determined that he be inside her when he comes. His eyes open, and he smiles at her, pawing at her neck with one hand bringing her lips to his again. He drinks her in, pouring everything he has into the kiss, and her movements don't falter, the way her mouth captures his, her grip hot and tight on his over sensitive cock somehow notches his arousal higher. He'd admittedly only been a little while away from coming before he'd pulled out earlier, and he's not far off again. 

"I'm close," he whispers foreheads pressed to hers, one hand still on her waist, one hand tangled in the wet hair on the nape of her neck. 

Her own breath catches and she presses her belly closer. “Yeah...?" She breathes, taking a moment to squeeze him harder, and she knows from the way his abdominal muscles tighten, he's almost there. 

"You okay…?” He asks, as her breathing shallows, and she nods, licking her lips, her cheeks flushing.

"Peachy," she tells him with a salacious grin, "you’re just making me really _wet_ …”

Oliver comes with a rough groan, his breath hot in her ear and his come warm and sticky as it covers her palm and side of her belly. 

"We should do that more often," she tells him with a wink once he’s done, and he laughs, wrapping both of his arms around her again, pulling her close. 

"I like when you come first," he tells her, nuzzling her close. “It’s more fun that way.”

She laughs and the sound bounces happily off the walls around them. She then turns in his embrace and steps them into the warm jets of the shower to wash off. He closes the distance between them, stepping up behind her, and reaches around her to pump some of the communal body wash from the shower caddy into his hands to clean off her belly. She giggles, watching the white gel squeeze into his palm. 

"What?" He asks placing a kiss on her shoulder as his hands caress and cleaning her belly gently. 

"Are you still angry at me?" She asks and turns her face towards him.

He grimaces. "Don't say it like that..."

She turns her body towards him. "I know I kind of provoked you..."

Oliver huffs a laugh. "You pushed my buttons _intentionally._.." he counters.

"I know,” Felicity admits,”I’m sorry." She bites her bottom lip and then sighs. "We're okay, right? Like things are crazy... _I_ am a little crazy...but we're fighting _a lot_..."

"Felicity, _honey_ , we’ve never really shied away from an argument..." he says and she smiles briefly because while it is true, it doesn't really assuage her fears. 

"But are we doing the right thing? I mean Oliver, how are we going to juggle this-"

"Hey, hey, hey..." he says, cupping her face tenderly. "I don't have all the answers. But...a nursery in the bunker is a _good_ idea."

“You're not just saying that now because you think that's what I want to hear?"

Oliver tucks some wet hair behind her ear and thumbs some of the wet mascara off her cheek. “It’s the truth. I don’t have all the answers on how we’re going to do this, but it can’t _hurt_. And that’s the truth. 100% honesty, remember?” 

"I remember," she tells him with a smile. She takes his hand from her cheek and places it on her belly. "Hey, do you wanna have another baby with me?"

He laughs. "We've kinda got our hands full at the moment. You wanna ask me in another couple of years?" 

"Deal," she tells him with a bright smile, and the reaches over to shut off the water. 

They dry off and get dressed, Oliver changing into jeans and a sweater from his locker. He then busies himself cleans splatters of mud from his suit while Felicity brushes a comb through her wet hair and cleanses the rest of today's makeup off her face. 

She's at the vanity, finishing wiping the black stains of mascara from around her eyes when Oliver envelopes her in a hug, pulling her in tight against him, nuzzling into her. 

"Can you take me home?" She asks his reflection in the mirror.

Oliver smiles. ”You promise to get naked again?”

"You want another shot at it already?"

"Of course I do. _Multiple_ shots,” he tells her with a wink. 

She suddenly wishes they tried this angle in the shower, Oliver pushed up against her from behind, because maybe then the arousal that's still there wouldn't be ramping back up with a vengeance now she can see and feel him pressed behind her in the mirror. 

"Is she still kicking?” he asks, reading her thoughts by the way she shifts her weight from foot to foot, trying to decide if she should act on it or wait until they get home.

"No."

Oliver smiles, his fingertips trailing down over her bump to her abdomen. "Your turn," he tells her, and there is no way in hell she would ever protest. 

"I don't think I can wait until we get home," she admits, pushing her backside against him. She's very willing to have him take her like this as soon as physically possible...

But he shakes his head. "I need a few more minutes...put your hands on the vanity." 

And she does as she is told, leaning forward, both hands on the vanity, his eyes fixed on hers in the mirror. "Don't let go..." he tells her, his hot breath in her ear as his hands dip lower, lifting the hem of her knee length stretchy skirt. 

He hikes the skirt upwards, pooling it far enough up her waist that in the mirror they can both see her lacy hip hugging underwear in the mirror. Without preamble, one hand holding her skirt in place, he leans into the curve of her back and slips his hand into her underwear. 

She's incredibly warm and slick, and he bites back an approving groan. If he's not careful, he'll be hard again and then they'll never leave the bathroom because he'll want to fuck her again and again. Because this sight, her cheeks flushed and lips parted wantonly, her glasses slipping down her nose as he presses against her, his hand in her underwear, cupping her wet and hot sex is enough to burn in his brain forever. 

His fingers slide through her arousal and Felicity whimpers as he trails a finger along the seam of her core teasingly. 

Her fingers white knuckle on the vanity as he teases her, before he pushes her panties down, exposing her fully in the mirror. 

"I like this," he tells her, his thumb stroking the new small manicured line of hair on her pelvic bone. He slips his fingers south a little again, finding the nub he's well acquainted with. 

His first pass over her swollen clit, almost has her knees buckling, but she recovers, widening her stance and firmly planting her feet, giving him a little more room to work. With a look of wanton encouragement from Felicity in the mirror, he starts to work her bundle of nerves, rubbing her hard and fast.

Her eyes slip close as the pleasure builds, and he has to remind her more than once that they don't have the sound of the running water to conceal her moans anymore. She bites her bottom lip, growing wetter and wetter, her eyes closed as she tries to focus on keeping her voice down.

"Good?" He asks in her ear and she nods quickly hearing the smirk in his voice.

"Uhuh," she says breathily, licking her lips. 

"Faster?" 

" _Yes_..."

"Yes?" He teases, his movements quickening, as he gathers more of her slick arousal to wet her clit. 

"Mmmhmmm," she nods again, and then she wraps her hand around his wrist, speeding up his strokes because she's so close now and she needs him to move faster. 

"You're so wet..." he says into her shoulder, and she shivers. 

"Going to come..." she breathes. 

"Can you come twice for me baby?" He asks knowing that while she hates the endearment in their everyday lives, hearing it slide out of his lips as he fucks her turns her on. 

She nods furiously. "Yes...Oliver... _oh god_..." 

"One..." he counts as she tenses in his arms, her orgasm ripping through her heatedly; she holds her breath and then let it go with a moan that has his dick almost standing at attention again. 

He keeps working her, his wrist burning profusely, her body so slick he can't believe she's only one orgasm in, before she breathes, "... _again_..."

“Already...?" He asks, knowing she's not asking him to make her come again,but telling him she's already there. He works two fingers inside her wet heat, his thumb rubbing her clit. 

" _Uhuh_..." she gasps, her body tensing again, her head resting back on his shoulder. She opens her eyes right as it hits, " _Oh fuck_..." 

He holds her tight and kisses her back tenderly as she comes down and slowly regains the feeling in her legs. 

"That was really hot," he tells her helping her readjust her clothing, and slide her panties back up, before she turns and sits on the vanity, her legs still shaking.

"How long have we been in here?" She asks, her face flushed and her breathing labored. 

Oliver checks his phone from his jean pocket. “Half an hour..." he tells her tenderly, pushing her wet hair off her forehead. 

Felicity grimaces. "John and Thea are going to know."

He gives her a mischievous grin. "Yes _baby_ , they are." 

He holds his hand out to her to help her to her feet again, but she swats it away ruefully before shrugging it off. 

"Worth it," She tells him with a wide smile.

"Yeah?" He quips cockily and she rolls her eyes. 

"Yeah..."

“Well then," he tells her, holding out his hand out again for her to take. "We're going to get some dinner, and then, round _three_." 

She laughs, sliding her hand into his and getting to her feet. "You mean round _four_..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: *taps mic* is this thing on? Thanks for all the lovely kudos and hits on last chapter, but I really missed you guys commenting. 
> 
> I like to think I don't have an ego, but only two wonderful readers left me little notes last chapter. 
> 
> Maybe it's a sign you didn't love it. maybe Thea/Roy aren't my forte. Maybe I'd already given a lot of this detail away in #5 and you were bored. BUT, please, I ask (nay, beg) if you read, pretty please leave me a comment. If you love it -great! If you hate it-that's okay also! Tell me why! I just want you guys to be engaged and enjoy the story. And low comments to me says you aren't. 
> 
> See you next week for #9!


	9. Stitches (August 2022)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #9 Stitches ( August 2022): After being injured out in the field, Felicity and Oliver spend some family time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Full disclosure, I know I cheated last chapter with something smutty to get you commenting...but it worked! And from the comments you guys really loved it! Thank you so very much for all your wonderful words of encouragement! 
> 
> Smut is certainly not my forte, but I did enjoy writing it and I think I owed you guys one. Out of the Wood was a bit sexier than WWWY (we've got way more babies this time around) so it's good to see Olicity get _some_ instead of just talking about it! 
> 
> I pushed this chapter up the list as a lot of you were asking for more Zoe.

 

WHEN WE WERE YOUNG

#7: STITCHES

 

** August 2022. **

"...ouch,  Oliver ..." Felicity admonishes, her voice low and pained as she winces at the small precise stitches Oliver's threading into the corner shapedwound on the back her head. She can't believe she let him talk her into letting him stitch her up in their kitchen at home instead of at the bunker (where she doesn't need to worry they are going to be discovered by the kids).

She knows it was more of an intervention, forcing her away from her keyboard where she's been stationed for the last three nights trying to track down the Meta who had terrorised Central City, Gotham and Hub City picking off pieces of important tech before heading her way to Queen Inc to ransack bits of new tech from Curtis' lab, but she can't relax knowing that the kids are upstairs asleep. It knits their double lives together too closely, especially after they'd made new boundaries on the kids and the bunker after the incident.

"I'm  sorry ," he says gently dropping the equipment into the stainless steel dish beside him and inspecting his handiwork, his fingers gently massaging her aching skull. He's almost too good at this now, after all the years of practice, his precise stitches small and even. He places a soft kiss on the top of her head, breathing in the strawberry scent of Zoe's shampoo she's been using in lieu of her own over the past crazy few days, and then he smiles, squeezing her shoulder tenderly, letting her know he's done.

Felicity sighs, dropping her shoulders and head forward, stretching and rolling them out trying to dull the pain of her aching muscles. When she opens her eyes again, he's over by the sink, sorting the bloodied trash from the medical grade equipment she now keeps hidden in the home medkit for situations like this. His lips are pressed together pensively, and she's seen that look on him so many times, and every time it gives her a bellyache.

"It wasn't your fault Oliver," She tells him. She knows he's been beating himself for two main reasons: firstly having to stitch her up at all, and secondly because  he'd been caught up taking down one of the Meta's goons when Felicity had been attacked at the clinic. It had been their plan to lure the Meta right to where they could take her by surprise, but they hadn't counted on the Meta upstaging their plan hours earlier than anticipated while Felicity was preparing their trap, or that the former school teacher from Central City would become violent towards Felicity when her demands weren't met.

Oliver grimaces at her as he pulls his bloodied blue latex gloves off and throws them into the sink. He heaves a sigh, one hand falling to rest on his hip as he takes a second to berate himself. He knows it not logical, that he can't control everything, can't protect her from everything even when he tries, even when she's in the field and it very much is his responsibility as Team Leader to ensure no one gets hurt, but it doesn't mean it doesn't play on him still after all these years. And sure it is nowhere near the worst thing that's happened to her, but it is the  first thing since Robbie, Robert Thomas Queen their now seven-month-old son, was born. And two kids and a teenager raise the stakes even higher, put the fear of God in him as her partner, husband and the father of her children.

"You should have gone to the hospital," he says, and she makes a face and gives him an annoyed groan. Her response, 100% pure Felicity, turns his grimace into a smile as he folds his arms against his chest. He's got some of her blood on his navy Henley, but it's only a few largely discrete drops, nothing like the large stains down the shoulder and back of her white silk blouse.

"We  agreed the only hospital visits for me moving forward are for babies or life and death situations. A concussion and three stitches..."

" Four ," he corrects.

" Four stitches isn't life threatening...it's more like a normal Saturday night for us. Though granted, it's usually  another member of Team Arrow being stitched up, but I knew what I was getting into Oliver, it was  _ my _ _idea_."

"You hit your head, and you've lost a lot of blood," he reasons with a teasing tone. "Forgive me, but you are not your most reliable advocate right now."

Felicity smiles. "Thea would have backed me up if you hadn't sent her home," she says. "And okay, granted she was a complete mess tonight when she saw the blood, but let me tell you, baby hormones make you fracking crazy."

He smiles. "Just baby hormones?" He teases and Felicity huffs a laugh at him and rolls her eyes at him.

She beckoning him closer curling her index finger at him and he moves closer, reaching across the bench to let her envelope one of his large hands in two of hers. She flexes her fingers against his, drawing soft circles on his skin for a few moments, before lowering her head to kiss his skilled and rough hand tenderly.

"The Meta trying to steal Curtis' new robotic work ahead of schedule is  not your fault."

Oliver frowns. "She got away from me last night," he reasons. "If I'd apprehended her, arrow'd her even, you'd have one less concussion and scar." He makes a face. "I hate when you get hurt."

"I know." Felicity lets go of his hand and slips off the stool, walking around the white marble kitchen counter, and into Oliver's expectant embrace.

He wraps his arms around her, burying his face in her hair and holding her close, taking the rare moment for them.

"I am glad you didn't arrow her," she tells him, reaching up to cradle his face and kiss him softly.

"Me too," he tells her, prompting another smile and another soft kiss from Felicity before she pulls away.

She surveys the shoulder of her blouse and groans, holding the fabric away from her body. "Is this all mine?"

He nods, his lips pursed together.

"I wonder if Sofia at the dry cleaners can save this? It was really expensive..." She considers, slipping the bloodied blouse off over her head in a quick movement that has Oliver stepping towards her as she sways a little. The blood has soaked through the fabric, staining the white cotton camisole and bra underneath.

"Hey, careful," he admonishes. "Just take it easy..."

"Are you okay Momma?" Comes a small worried voice from the kitchen doorway, and both of them look up in surprise to see four-year-old Zoe standing in the doorway, her bottom lip worried between her teeth, her shoulder length dark blonde hair wild from sleep, and Biscuit the bunny cuddled under her arm.

"Hey munchkin," Oliver greets happily creating a distraction by picking her up and smothering her in kisses her while Felicity fetches his freshly laundered old green hoodie out of the clean washing basket on the nearby dining table.

Felicity has the hoodie zipped up over her bloodied clothes and is rolling up the long sleeves before Oliver turns his and Zoe's attention back to her.

"I am fine honey," Felicity tells her with a bright smile, leaning closer to rub her nose against Zoe's.

Zoe giggles and tries to hide her face in Oliver's shoulder, offering up biscuit instead. Felicity pretends to pout at her.

"Nanny said you were asleep," she says to Zoe, who gives a mischievous grin in return.

"I was," she tells them, and then shrugs, "but now I am awake." The sass prompts a quizzical look from Felicity, her eyebrow raised, which makes Oliver, Zoe seated on his hip, chuckle.

"Can't argue with that logic," he says to Felicity, jostling Zoe a little to make her giggle.

Felicity rolls her eyes at him and reaches up to rub her hand through Zoe's unruly hair. "Zoe, it's very late. Momma and Daddy are going to bed now too. It will be very lonely if you are awake all by yourself."

"But...can I please have a story?" Zoe bargains with a pout. "And then I can go back to sleep."

Storytime is a ritual the three of them do together, Felicity and Oliver taking turns to be the narrator and the characters in Zoe's exhaustive storybook collection. It's usually a pre-bunker ritual, but tonight Nanny had read the story instead and the change to her routine had thrown Zoe off.

"One story," Oliver bargains with a smile. "And Daddy is going to read it while Momma showers."

"Because of the blood?" Zoe asks innocently, her head cocked at her parents, her little eyes darting between them for an answer.

It's a simple question, but it hits both of them like a ton of bricks. The causality in which the words come out of Zoe's mouth have both of them frozen, Felicity's mouth hung open in surprise. Sometimes their lives feel as normal (dysfunctional and crazy) as everyone else's. And sometimes, little things happen, like their four year old casually being okay with seeing her mother covered in blood, that really hit home.

Felicity self-consciously runs her hand through the back of her hair, and tries not to feel too worried about the dried blood clinging to her ponytail, cracking a little as she prizes her fingers through the strands. She must look a mess; is this image going to be burned into her daughter's brain?

Oliver hugs Zoe closer, worry written all over his face.

"Did you hurt yourself, Momma?" Zoe presses, her eyes bright with curiosity as she chews on her bottom lip, assessing the situation. They've never been able to get much past their bright and precocious daughter.

Felicity tries a gentle reassuring smile. "A little bit baby," she admits. "But Daddy looked after me and I am all okay now."

Zoe smiles broadly, patting her hand on Oliver's shoulder. "Daddy is very good at fixing booboos," she says proudly.

Felicity grins. "He is isn't he?" She says, catching Oliver's eye. "Thank you for fixing my boo-boo Daddy," Felicity says leaning forward, crowding Zoe into a hug between them, to peck him on the cheek.

"Of course Momma. Okay," he says giving Zoe a squeeze that makes her giggle again. " One book," he bargains. "So make it a good one."

Zoe doesn't even need to think about it. "The kangaroo one," she says, and Felicity makes a playful face, scrunching her nose, and Zoe laughs.

"I don't want to read that one anyway!" Felicity says with a pout. "Scary kangaroos!"

"Momma," Zoe giggles. "Kangaroos aren't scary!"

"Are you sure?" Felicity asks skeptically. "They look scary..."

Zoe shakes her head. "No Momma, they are cute. Trust me."

" You're cute," Felicity says tickling her belly and Zoe squeals with laughter.

"Daddy says  you're cute," Zoe tells her grabbing at Felicity's fingers, and Oliver chuckles. "He says  _ do you want to know a secret? _ And I say y _ es  _ and he says, _I_ _think Momma is cute_."

"Hey!" Oliver admonishes and he lifts Zoe up in the air, dangling her for a moment or two, making funny noises that have her cackling, before dropping her back into his embrace, placing kisses over her face. "I say she's beautiful you little munchkin!"

"Momma go shower," he tells Felicity, flinging Zoe over his shoulder, making her cackle with laughter again. "Zoe and I are going to read Beatrice the Kangaroo."

Felicity waves them off as they head up the stairs and towards Zoe's bedroom, Zoe laughing at her Daddy's antics as they go. Once they are out of sight Felicity turns back to the sink, cleaning up the supplies Oliver had used to patch her up, and storing them away in the first aid drawer of the butler's pantry, making a mental note to take it back to the bunker for sterilization tomorrow.

Felicity then checks the video baby monitor for Robbie's crib, currently taking up a corner of their bedroom, looking for any sign of him being awake for his late night feed, before gingerly easing herself up the stairs to check on him in person. She passes the door to Zoe's room, its bright decor of jungle animals and mint green walls peeping out of the crack in the doorway. She listens carefully, grinning from ear to ear as she hears Oliver's terrible attempt at Beatrice the kangaroo's voice, chuckling silently as Zoe tells him again and again with a pout that Beatrice sounds funny, and she needs to sound more girly.

Felicity leaves her husband and daughter to debate Beatrice's voice and heads to the master bedroom. She stows the baby monitor on the bedside table and checks in on a sleeping Robbie, taking a moment or two to brush the back of her hand against his heated cheek and adjust his blankets. He's due for a feed, but she's secretly relieved that she's going to get a chance to shower before having to deal with her no-doubt grumpy and sick little boy.

In the bathroom, Felicity closes the door securely and peels off her bloodied clothing. She examines the stitches in the back of her head with a hand mirror over the basin and grimaces when she realizes just how terrible she looks. Her blond hair is stained with blood and she tries, mostly unsuccessfully, to get as much of it out of her ponytail without getting the wound wet.

Eventually, she gives up, and after a warm therapeutic shower, wraps her hair up in a high bun, hiding the bloody strands and stitches as best she can. She dresses in one of Oliver's clean tee shirts she'd commandeered years ago and her pink polka dot pj shorts and swallows a couple more painkillers while she has the chance. She pokes her head over the side of Robbie's crib again, but he's still fast asleep, so Felicity heads back to Zoe's room, just in time for what she is pretty sure is round two or three of Beatrice the Kangaroo. Felicity grins at them from the doorway for a couple of minutes, her arms folded against her chest before she garners their full attention. Oliver stops mid-sentence, lowering the storybook, and he and Zoe both look up at her.

"Those eyelids don't look droopy ZoZo," she tells Zoe, whose little brow is knotted with upset.

"Daddy isn't doing the voices properly," Zoe tells her, throwing her father a wide-eyed look that says she got totally short changed on this deal.

"Daddy is  trying, honey ," Oliver tells them but Zoe shakes her head, folding her arms against her chest.

"Nah ah. I want Momma to read it."

Oliver cocks his head at Felicity, his face begging for a reprieve from this story, and she nods. "Go on," she says with a wink. "I got this."

"Are you sure?" He asks reluctantly getting to his feet. He wants to keep an eye on Felicity, but he can't listen to another round of Beatrice.

Felicity nods as Oliver approaches. "You'll be back in five minutes to check on us anyway," she teases.

Oliver huffs laugh, his fingers briefly tangling in hers as he passes. He places a kiss on her shoulder and she gives him a warm bright smile because watching him read stories to their kids every night nearly makes her ovaries explode every single damn time.

"Go and shower Daddy," Zoe says, calling after him as she climbs up on her little knees, the storybook sitting forgotten on the bed in the spot Oliver just vacated. "You smell like bunker."

He huffs another laugh because she means he smells like leather, and he faces her palms up. "Okay, okay," he concedes. He turns to Felicity. "She's four and she already has a loud voice like you-"

"Go and shower Daddy!" Felicity tells him mimicking Zoe. He chuckles and disappears out the door.

Felicity blows him a kiss as he leaves, and then she crawls into bed beside Zoe, snuggling them in, Zoe tucked under her arm amongst the pillows.

"Can we read a different one?" Felicity asks Zoe kissing the top of her head as she picks up her favorite picture book from the pile on the little girl's bedside table. "How about Madeleine? It's my favorite and I am very good at the voices."

Zoe agrees, and they snuggle in together, Felicity reading the voices of Miss Clavel, Pepito and Madeleine to Zoe's satisfaction. But the more they read, the less Zoe seems to want to sleep. She fidgets and squirms, her eyes bright and happy as she interrupts the story repeatedly to tell her Momma about what happened today at little school (daycare) and with Nanny. And then as they reach the halfway point of their story, they are interrupted by Robbie's cries from the other room.

Felicity uncurls herself from Zoe and the little girl frowns, her disappointment so genuine Felicity feels guilty that instead of being home to read her books at the real bedtime, she was at the bunker.

I don't want you to go yet," Zoe tells her as Felicity gets off the bed.

Felicity considers her for a second before pulling back Zoe's covers. "Come on then munchkin. Bring Biscuit."

"I can sleep with you?" Zoe asks excitedly getting down swiftly, Biscuit tucked under her arm and slipping her hand into Felicity's.

Felicity leads her from the bright jungle bedroom and two doors over to the master bedroom. "For a little bit," she tells her. "We'll feed Robbie in Momma's room so she can be comfy."

"Robbie's cranky," Zoe tells her. "He cried lots today. Even nanny said so."

Felicity grimaces. "I know honey he's not feeling very well, he's got a cold." Felicity opens then the door to the master bedroom, the sound of running water from Oliver's shower slipping through under the closed ensuite door, and gestures for Zoe to climb into bed.

"Hey baby bear," Felicity says to Robbie as she leans over the side of his crib, his face and nose blotchy from his tears, and lifts him up into her embrace. "Oh you poor darling," she says wiping away the snot with the front of his romper, before cuddling him close, her hand rubbing his back comfortingly. "It's okay, we'll get you some dinner. You're not feeling very well are you?"

Robbie settles in her embrace, his little fingers fisting into the material of her shirt, his eyes glassy with tears and his brow crinkled with upset. Felicity turns back towards the bed and gives Zoe, who is sitting up proudly on her father's side of the bed Felicity's tablet from her bedside table her lap, a smile.

"You're not going to sleep anytime soon are you?" Felicity asks, making her and Robbie comfy in the plethora of bed pillows.

"Nope, I am wide awake," Zoe says shaking her head, scuttling closer so she can sit with Felicity and Robbie.

She squeezes his hand comfortingly-telling him it's okay as he cries a little impatient for his mother to stop fussing with his nursing pillow and her nursing bra and feed him already- and it's a gesture that makes Felicity smile broadly at her lovely little girl. After he's settled, his fingers wrapped around Felicity's as he feeds from her breast, Felicity directs her attention back to Zoe, who'ssitting beside her with a pensive look on her little face, Biscuit and the tablet largely forgotten.

"You okay honey?" Felicity asks happily nudging her daughter's shoulder with her own gently, and Zoe nods, but the small smile she gives her mother doesn't quite reach her eyes.

"Why were you bleeding Momma?" Zoe asks. "Did you fall?"

"A little," Felicity says. "I hit my head."

"Did you get skitters-" (stitches), "-from Daddy?"

Felicity nods, giving her a reassuring smile. "Yes, honey I am fine."

"Can I look?" Zoe asks.

Felicity nods reluctantly, but she knows everything his hidden by her ponytail and even if Zoe does look, she won't see much.

Zoe gets to her feet, wobbling a little on the mattress, and peeks a look at the top of Felicity's head, her hand on Felicity's shoulder.

"They look good," she tells her mother confidently, and Felicity wonders how many times she's subconsciously seen Oliver and her have the same conversation, and has picked up on the behavioral cue. "No more blood," Zoe tells her with a smile.

"Were you scared?" Felicity asks. "When you saw Momma in the kitchen with blood on her?"

Zoe shakes her head. "No," she says brightly, flopping down in the same spot as before. "I knew Daddy was looking after you."

"What about when you see Daddy with blood on  him ?"

Zoe's brow knots. "Like when the doctor drilled his knee at the doctor place?"

Oliver had had knee surgery over a year ago, replacing the worn joint that had suffered years of pain and ill healed injuries with a new one Curtis had designed, and the memory of visiting her Dad at the hospital fresh from surgery (with a pregnant Momma) had stuck in her mind.

"Yes. Or when Daddy comes home from his other work sometimes."

Zoe shakes her head, but she smiles proudly up at her mother. "No 'cos then you look after him. You look after each other, and me, and Will...and Robbie...and Aunty Tia... and Uncle Jimny-Roy....and baby Loocars...and Nanny...and Pop Pop...and Uncle Dig...and Aunty Lyla...and Sara...and  Big Aunty Sara...and JJ..." Zoe heaves a deep dramatic breath..."And Sammy....and Uncle Barry...and Aunty Eyeruss-"

"Okay,  okay ..." Felicity concealed, fearing she'll be here all night as her daughter lists every person she can think off.

Zoe gives her a dazzling smile. "You look after all of us."

Felicity can help but smile back at her. Gee, they have done so well with this kid. She's bright and precocious and she's fiercely loyal. Sure, she doesn't understand the ins and outs of their secret life, that's too much for a four-year-old, but they've taught her enough to understand that what they do is  important . And it's so incredible to see the proud look on her daughter's face. She hopes it's there for the rest of her life because it is  everything . It is all the love and adoration Oliver and Felicity have for each other, together, in toddler form.

Felicity can feel herself getting a bit teary and emotional, which probably has a lot to do with the aching in her skull and the relief to be home and safe in bed with her kids. She sniffs back some tears and wipes her face on the shoulder of her t-shirt.

"Do you tell the other kids at little school about Momma and Daddy's other job? At the bunker?"

Zoe shakes her head seriously.

"No, it's a  secret . If the other kids knew, then Daddy couldn't look after them too. He can only save people when it's a secret." Zoe picks up the tablet and presses the home button, lighting up the screen. But the tablet is password protected and Zoe gives her mother a doe-eyed look. "Can I watch the tablet now please Momma? It will help make me sleepy."

"Only because Momma can't go to sleep yet either," Felicity tells her using her thumb to unlock the screen.

Felicity watches as Zoe flicks through the apps to find what she is looking for. She picks an episode of Diamond the duck randomly from the list in the video app and then settles in beside Felicity, her head resting on felicity's arm as Diamond's adventure begins.

After another minute or two Robbie begins to fuss again, and Felicity finishes his feed, popping a pacifier in his mouth and holding him close against her chest, rocking and soothing the sick seven-month-old to try and get him back to sleep.

"I thought it was bedtime?" Oliver queries as he opens the bathroom door and flicks off the ensuite lights behind him.

He gives Felicity a look that tells her if she hadn't brought the kids to bed herself, he would have. She knows she'd given him a shock tonight when he'd heard her attack over the comms and she'd been unresponsive and out cold for the five to ten minutes it took her get to her side. It always makes him a bit funny, a bit clingy, whenever she gets hurt, and she's found since they've had the kids, he worries even more about losing her, about them growing up without a mother.

"I am getting a bit sleepy now," Zoe tells him with a yawn leaning back against her Momma, her head on her arm.

"I should hope so!" He says sauntering over to Felicity's side of the bed, "it is midnight ZoZo."

"Hey buddy," Oliver says with a grin at Robbie as the little guy twists his little head in the direction of his Daddy's voice, his pacifier twitching in his little mouth.

"Can I take him?" He asks Felicity.

Felicity nods. "Yep, we've already had our midnight snack hey bear?"

Oliver leans down to pick him up out of Felicity's arms, and cradles Robbie against his chest, tucking the little boys head under his chin protectively. Robbie's head lies against his father's neck, his fingers curled into Oliver's gray t-shirt, as they walk back to Oliver's side, where Oliver climbs into bed with him.

As he does so, Zoe takes the opportunity to climb into her mother's lap with the tablet, the singsong sounds of Diamond the duck still playing.

"We'll watch just One episode of Diamond the duck," Oliver tells Zoe with a wink. "Then it's definitely bedtime."

Zoe considers protesting, but she knows that one episode is more than she would normally get on a little school night and she agrees with a smile, threading her fingers through one of Felicity's hands, and leaning her head back to rest on Felicity's chest.

"So storytime went well then?" Oliver whispers to Felicity, rubbing Robbie's back comfortingly, the little eyelids on their son starting to get heavy with sleep as he's soothed by his Dad.

"Robbie woke up," Felicity says smiling at her son, whose little eyelids are losing a battle with sleep. They keep jumping open at the sound of her voice, but sleep wins and they spend longer and longer closed. "I think he's grown again," she tells Oliver. "He's way bigger than JJ was at his age."

"You think? JJ is a bruiser."

Felicity chuckles. "Not that he stood a chance with John's strong shoulders. I don't envy Lyla there."

Felicity reaches over with her free hand to rub her fingertips through Robbie's soft hair. "Do you think he's getting darker too? I thought he was going to be a little blondie but I am not so sure anymore."

Oliver shakes his head, leaning sideways towards her to press a kiss to Felicity's forehead. "Nah, I think that's just your sore head Momma."

Felicity laughs, pressing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose with her index finger. "Or maybe it's your eyes, Daddy. Did you get that eye test?"

Oliver grins. "You  know I passed with flying colors."

"Thank god, or we'd be out of  the business."

"I could've worn green contacts..." he says and Felicity huffs another laugh, but before she can reply, Zoe looks up at Oliver.

"Daddy, when does Will come over for his birthday? Nanny and me make a card today. We used glitter."

Felicity heaves a sigh. Wonderful. That'll be a nice surprise in the play area tomorrow. Since Zoe had started daycare, glitter had become a nightmare. It always seemed to be from one end of the house to the other, and she usually found glittery chunks of it in Robbie and Zoe's hair or random places like on Oliver's suits or clinging to his socks. It was terrible.

"I'll clean it up in the morning," Oliver tells Felicity reading her less than impressed expression. "Will's coming over tomorrow honey. He was having dinner with Sam and Tim tonight."

"In the morning?" Zoe asks hopefully, but Oliver shakes his head. 

"No honey, Will has school in the morning. But we can pick him up after soccer. Daddy's working from home tomorrow so it's a no daycare day."

Felicity's brow knots. "I thought you had a meeting with the DA tomorrow?"

"I did," he says with a shrug. "John and Quentin can handle it."

Felicity frowns. "You don't have to stay home for me Oliver-"

Zoe's eyes light up. "Can we make a cake Daddy? For Will?"

Oliver takes a moment to meet Felicity's eye, and tell her as much as he can with a look that he doesn't need to, he  _ wants _ to.  Oliver smiles at Zoe. 

"Sure honey, what flavor?"

"Green," Zoe says eagerly.

Oliver chuckles. "Honey, green's a  color ..."

"I know daddy, but I want green and sprinkles. And nuts. Will likes them."

"But then Momma and Robbie can't have any...?"

"Oh," Zoe says. "No nuts then." She looks up at her mother. "Momma, you and Robbie can have some."

"Thanks, baby," Felicity tells her with a smile.

Zoe's attention goes back to the tablet in her lap, and thoroughly excited by the prospect of baking with her Daddy tomorrow, she pulls biscuit close, beginning to tell him about the plan she just made.

Oliver's brow knots when Felicity yawns and stretches her head and neck against the cushioned headboard of their bed. The painkillers haven't kicked in yet and she's desperate for sleep.

"You okay?" Oliver asks.

She nods. "Yeah. I am good," she says with a reassuring smile. "Tired but good."

"That's our life right?"

"Wouldn't change a thing," she says happily.

He nods down at the tablet. "I have seen this episode about a hundred times. I would totally change that," he tells her, and before Felicity can agree, Zoe turns back to him, her index finger pressed to her lip.

"Shhh Daddy," she admonishes. "I can't hear Diamond when you talk to Momma."

Oliver gives the kid a palm up surrender with his free hand, prompting her to turn back around, and checking that Robbie's now more settled, Oliver shuffles closer to Felicity, his shoulder butted against hers. She rests her head on his shoulder and he kisses her hair softly.

"You're always breaking the rules," she teases with a whisper, and it makes Oliver huff a laugh.

Zoe's narrowed eyes are back on him again, this time making Felicity giggle.

"Oh, Bud," he tells the now sleeping Robbie, "what would we do without these girls of ours bossing us around?" 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave me a comment before you go! Next chapter will be up 9th July (sorry I'm taking a little holiday!)!


	10. The Queens (October 2016)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **#10 THE QUEENS: October 2016** \- Oliver and Felicity's wedding announcement makes the news, and Felicity returns to Palmer Tech.

**WHEN WE WERE YOUNG**

**CHAPTER TEN: THE QUEENS**

**OCTOBER 2016. Monday, post wedding.**

Like clockwork, the news breaks at 6AM, just as the City Hall media team had planned.

The news ticker flicks across the screen with " **BREAKING NEWS: MAYOR WEDS CEO** " and Felicity gulps a little, sitting up, still among the sheets of their bed, so she can get a better view of the news bulletin on their wall mounted bedroom TV.

"It's on!" She calls loudly, and she hears the water in the shower of the adjacent ensuite bathroom cut off. Oliver appears seconds later, his towel slung around his hips.

He grins happily at as he leans over for a soft kiss, prompting her to shuffle to the middle of their large bed, before sitting down beside her on the mattress, beads of water still on his skin.

_"...And now we're going to go live to Susan Williams with an update from City Hall. Susan?"_

Felicity gives a somewhat bemused snort as the infamously annoying reporter, dressed today in bright magenta appears on screen, the City Hall building in the background of her piece to camera.

Oliver's grin widen because Felicity's made her dislike for Susan, largely based on Thea's hatred for the reporter and her penchant for trying to discredit Oliver every time she's at City Hall, very apparent. In fact, he's pretty sure he heard the very words, 'it better not be Susan' come out of Felicity's mouth the moment he'd turned the news on before jumping in the shower.

_"Thanks Jack," Susan says brightly, flashing a large toothy smile at the audience. "The big political news this morning coming out of City Hall is that Mayor Queen, our very own Mayor Handsome-"_

Felicity groans with annoyance. "I wish they'd stop calling you that. It's going to make your ego even bigger than it already is..." she says and Oliver chuckles.

_"-is officially off the market, tying the knot with long term on and off again girlfriend-"_

"We broke up once!" Felicity says with annoyance, throwing her hands up in frustration at the screen.

"Hey," Oliver says suavely, turning her face towards him, his thumb and forefinger on her chin. He grins down at her, through his long eyelashes, and she melts a little. Ugh, why does he have to be so stupidly sexy...

"Stupidly sexy?" He asks, cocking an eyebrow at her and she sighs wistfully, letting him kiss her softly as the news report continues in the background.

_"-Palmer Technologies CEO Felicity Smoak over the weekend. City Hall has released a gallery of beautiful photos from the intimate ceremony, all photographed by Central City Picture News reporter Iris West. Fans of the couple, dubbed Olicity-"_

Oliver breaks their kiss with a small huff of annoyance and turns their attention back to the screen. "I hate that moniker," he says pensively, licking his lips. "We are two very separate people..."

_"-by reporters last December when the then, Mayoral Candidate Queen proposed to Ms. Smoak at the Christmas Eve tree lighting event in Starling Park-"_

_Susan disappears from the screen and video footage of their proposal, Oliver on one knee holding out a ring on stage, and then Felicity happily agreeing before the pair hug and kiss to the cheers of onlookers, plays out._

_"-know that the pair later split after their first secret wedding was hijacked by infamous Cupid killer Carrie Cutter."_

_The proposal footage morphs into footage Felicity hadn't actually seen before, including two SCPD officers escorting a handcuffed Carrie Cutter down the steps of The Plaza and into a waiting squad car, and then grainy paparazzi footage of Felicity and Thea leaving the same building, Thea's arms slung around Felicity's shoulder as they hurry out the service entrance and into a waiting black town car, and away from that incredibly painful evening._

In response to the footage, Oliver locks his fingers in hers, and lifts their enclosed hands to his lips, placing a tender kiss on the inside of her wrist. That night sucked so much for both of them. And even now they'd overcome that time in their lives, they'd be lying if the public reminder didn't smart a little.

_The news segment continues as Susan appears back on their screen._

_"Now, over the past few months, there has been speculation that the Mayor and Ms. Smoak have actually secretly reunited, following a number of appearances together at fundraisers and public events..."_

_Paparazzi photographs of Oliver helping Felicity out of a limo in a navy velvet dress at the Star City Tourism Fundraiser, and footage of them talking to Curtis and Thea at the more recent Police Ball flash across the screen..._

_"...including the Star City Tourist Board Fundraiser, where Palmer Tech pledged half a million dollars towards Star City's tourism campaign..."_

Felicity frowns. "That wasn't even my pledge. I was still unofficially fired at that point; excellent fact checking Susan."

Oliver laughs. "Cut her a break," he says gently, his hand caressing the small of her bare back. "No one knows even a quarter of what actually happens in our lives."

Felicity nods, smiling when he angles towards her for a kiss, before moving closer, wedging himself between her raised knees to blanket her body with his, his lips capturing hers in a less than chaste kiss.

"I want to see the rest," she says with a happy hum on his lips, her fingertips pressed into the back of his neck and broad shoulders. Though as the words leave her mouth, she kind of wants to reconsider, because _god_ , he is incredibly hot right now.

"Fine, we can make out later," he teases, dropping down beside her on the mattress his head on his pillow and long legs stretched out beside hers.

_"...and at last months animal shelter opening," Susan continues, "where Mr. Queen was actually questioned about his relationship with Ms. Smoak point blank."_

_The clip rolls of Oliver making a statement at the animal shelter; the day they actual reunited._

_"Mr. Mayor, how about a statement regarding you and Felicity Smoak? Felicity was your date to the Star City Fundraiser last month and you arrived here together today. Are you back together?”_

_Oliver doesn't falter, giving the reporters a humble smile, his Mayor persona perfectly in place._

Felicity swears she sees his eyes dart off camera for a split second, maybe towards her, but by that time she's already left, hurrying away in an Uber _._

 _“I’m going to head this off now and ask that this be the last time you direct the focus away from the prosperity of our city for a question on my private life. Felicity Smoak and I remain very good friends and she continues to be an advocate and leader in this community beyond our relationship and her position at Palmer Technologies. Now I hope you all enjoy the afternoon. Thank you.”_  
  
"Now, the photos from the wedding show a low key intimate ceremony," Susan tells them returning to the screen, "that is rumored to be at the couple's former heritage-listed industrial loft apartment."

"Great, so they know where we live. At least they didn't recognize the huge amount of vigilantes and metas in attendance..." Oliver deadpans.

Felicity laughs. "Could you imagine? The Green Arrow wed Overwatch, with the wedding officiated by Speedy and including guests The Flash, Spartan and Vibe." She makes a face at Oliver. "Our life is _weird_."

He nods, hands resting nonchalantly on his stomach. "Completely."

_"The statement from City Hall," Susan informs them, "says that the newlyweds won't be jetting off on a honeymoon straight away, with both parties committed to rebuilding their city at this time."_

_The camera returns to the news anchor in the studio, who gives a wide charismatic smile._

_"Some very interesting news there Susan! And surprising I believe, given Olicity's turbulent year?"_

Felicity scrunched her face. "Here we go..."

 _"Very much so, Jack." Susan agrees. "As many of you would be aware, following the couple's engagement last year, the limo_ -"

"Oh _god_ , please don't show pictures," Felicity says, hiding her face in her hands, and not a moment too soon. Oliver sits up quickly enclosing an arm around her protectively, pressing kisses into her hair.

_Photographs from the crash of the mangled and shot up limo, paramedics and police working around the crime scene, and even a wide shot of Oliver, his back to the camera, talking to some detectives flip across the screen like a slideshow..._

And the casualness of it has Oliver's stomach clenching. He'll have an earnest and stern conversation with Susan Williams the next time she is in the City Hall press gallery, that's certainly going to wipe that smile off her face. He's fair game, but Felicity is not.

_"-the couple were riding in was attacked by militia, and Ms. Smoak was left paralyzed from the waist down, after being shot six times."_

"It's over," he tells softly her as the camera flashes back to Susan, and Felicity kisses him gently, telling him she's okay before she looks back to the TV.

_"Since then Ms. Smoak has had extensive surgery and physiotherapy to help her walk again. Mr. Queen actually retired from the mayoral race earlier this year, but later took over the role of Mayor in May following Mayor Ruve Adam's death on Genesis Day." Susan smiles widely. "So with all that crazy history behind them, it's nice to think that this story has a happy ending."_

"Yeah, I am sure you're really happy Susan," Felicity says to the TV and Oliver chuckles.

"I like when you get _sassy_ ," he whispers in her ear and she rolls her eyes at him.

Felicity smiles, brushing her nose against his.

_The camera jumps back to the new anchor. "-We've put the photos we have from the Olicity Wedding up on our website," Jack tells the audience with a smile. "So I guess Susan the race is on this morning to see who gets the first interview with Star City's first couple?"_

_"Yes," Susan says with another toothy smile. "There is already a huge crowd here at City Hall-_ "

Oliver's brow knots and he looks back at the TV. "Really?"

_"-lots of people are leaving cards and flowers and well wishes, and I believe lines are forming outside Palmer Tech too, waiting for Ms. Smoak to arrive."_

Felicity gapes at the television and then, in turn, Oliver. "This is weird right? Why do people care? I mean I care, but...oh god, I know I sound ungrateful, but what everyday person actually _cares_ that we got married?"

"A lot of people apparently," Oliver says, a little flabbergasted as the camera pans to show the already large display of flowers and cards set up at City Hall. How do people move so fast? He wonders if some of the hype has been produced by his media team...one of the many questions he'll be asking Thea later.

"This is...crazy," Felicity says a little breathlessly.

_"Now Jack, there are some incredible images in the gallery of Felicity's dress, which I am sure is going to be a popular design this season, but everyone wants to see the ring."_

Felicity self consciously flexes her left hand, looking down at the heirloom diamond rock Oliver had given her as an engagement ring, and the sleek platinum wedding band of pave diamonds.

_"Rumour is, that Mr. Queen was spotted at Tiffany's last week, so I think everyone is very excited to see the ring that sealed the deal for Star City's very own Royal couple!"_

"Ugh," is Felicity's response, as Susan signs off, and Felicity turns off the TV. "Why does your name have to be Queen..."

Oliver laughs. "My name? It's your name now too..."

Felicity palms his cheeks. "Oh yeah...I forgot," she teases. She runs her thumb across his lips tenderly before saying, "I hate Susan Williams. Doesn't her smile seem fake? Like she's a little bit devastated she can't throw herself at you at press conferences anymore?"

Oliver laughs as he moves closer, maneuvering Felicity back into the pillows of their bed again, her hair fanning out against the pillow.

"She _never_ threw herself at me," he says, kissing her softly, before brushing the back of his hand across her cheek softly, "And if she did, it clearly didn't matter."

"I don't get it. Our relationship was just a ten-minute segment on the news. It's funny watching your life from someone else's point of view. Could you _imagine_ if they knew like the other 98% of it?"

"I think we'd be featuring on another time slot on a cable crime channel. Or maybe we'd get our own gritty Netflix mini-series documentary. Either way, we'd both be in _Iron Heights_."

"That's a charming Monday morning thought," she tells him with a smile.

He checks the bedside clock. Damn, he's running late. He has a 7AM meeting with the Media Team and it's 6.25. Felicity notices, sees him planning to get up, but to stop him, she wraps her arms around him and presses her breasts into his chest.

"I like our bubble," she tells him and Oliver groans, this time in a good way, a very good way, dropping a kiss to her chest, just above the swell of her right breast. "We have to leave the bubble. It's your first day back at PT."

Felicity sighs, carding her fingers through Oliver's hair, and scratching them across his scalp. "And I am sure The Board will be thrilled to see this all over the news..."

Olivers frowns, and pulls back, getting to his knees and reaching across the bed for his cell phone. "I am going to organize a car for you..." he says, eyes cast to the phone as he texts one of the men on his security detail.

Felicity props herself up on one elbow, watching him carefully. "Oliver, I am very capable of driving to work..."

Oliver gives her a look that pleads for her to humor him. "I am obviously not worried about you, but everyone else. It's going to be crazy. And I am going to have Charlie go with you."

"Oliver, he's a city hall bodyguard," Felicity reasons.

"And, he's off duty today. I will pay from my own pocket," he tells her with a smile. She knows that he'd prefer to be there himself, protecting her, shielding her from this, especially as it's because of him they even have to announce such insanities, but he can't. It would be mildly ridiculous for him to accompany her to work, and unfortunately, John was only two days out of the hospital, so he wasn't up for it either.

"You _don't_ have to..."

"I _want_ to," he tells her, and she knows that she's lost this one.

"Okay," she says with a smile. "Thank you." She throws back the covers slowly, rising to her knees, completely naked.

"What time is your meeting?" She asks coyly, inching herself closer to him.

But she's barely moved before she's being tossed back onto the bed again with a delighted yelp, Oliver slanting his lips across her passionately.

"What meeting...?" He teases, his lips trailing down her jaw to her neck, as she pulls the towel free from his waist and wraps her legs around him.

*

Felicity grins broadly as the elevator doors open on level 21 at Palmer Tech.

To her surprise, waiting for her, hands in the hip pockets of his suavely cut suit, is Carl Johnston, Felicity's ally and the new Chairman of the Palmer Tech Board. And today, he is Felicity's welcoming party.

"Sorry," she apologizes profusely, stepping out of the elevator. "Traffic was a nightmare."

Carl steps forward smiling at her brightly. "Congratulations on the nuptials."

Felicity gives him a warm smile. "Thank you," she says graciously, adjusting the strap on her work bag.

"I like Oliver," Carl tells her. "He's a good man. And, he's good for this city." Carl claps his hands together. "Now, shall we get to work?"

Felicity nods and grins. "Yes. I would love that."

Carl laughs. "Excellent." He gestures for Felicity to step ahead of him and they head down the hallway towards Felicity's office. "I will introduce you to your new Executive Assistant and then we can face The Board."

Felicity stops, cocking her head at Carl. She hums with thought. "Ummm...what happened to Gerry?"

Carl smiles. "Gerry was promoted. He's working in human resources now. And, he took great pride in selecting your new EXecutive Assistant Annabelle. She's brilliant. I think you'll like her."

Felicity smiles as the blond haired bespectacled EA climbs nervously to her feet as they approach, clutching her tablet to her chest. She gives them a nervous wave and then chews anxiously at her cherry red lips.

"I think I already do," Felicity says happily.

*

"Miss Smoak...sorry, Mrs. Queen?"

Felicity looks up from her computer screen, giving Annabelle a warm smile. Felicity has barely been at her desk all morning, so she hasn't had much of a chance to get to know Annabelle very well, but so far, the woman is doing an excellent job screening her phone calls and helping her avoid Susan William's requests for an interview.

"Annabelle, please call me Felicity," she says brightly getting to her feet.

"Felicity," Annabelle says happily, pushing the office door open a little further. "These arrived for you." Annabelle holds up a potted fern and a silver box cover in silver ribbon. "Flowers have been arriving all morning, but this one was different."

Felicity grins like a little kid, recognizing the fern immediately. She heads over to Annabelle quickly, gratefully taking it from her. She twirls the fern in her grasp a couple of times, beaming at it like it's her most treasured possession before placing it on her desk. This is the third fern of their relationship, and Felicity makes a silent promise that this one will Iive longer (oh god, she'll have to set a reminder every day to water it). Annabelle holds out the small wrapped box.

"There was no card," she says with a puzzled look.

"I know who it's from," Felicity smiles, pulling the ribbon from the box eagerly, and then grinning again when the wrapping is pulled away to reveal a box of twelve red pens, exactly the same brand, and type she dropped on the floor in the I.T department all those years ago. Felicity laughs. Oliver is a completely hopeless romantic and she is so grateful to have him in her life.

"Would you like me to source a small watering can for the fern?" Annabelle asks, a little bemused why this fern seems to take pride of place over the dozens of gorgeous bunches of flowers that are now covering her desk outside Felicity's office.

Felicity nods eagerly. "Yes, thank you. I don't need you to water it for me, but...if you could remind me every day, that would be great."

Annabelle smiles. "Of course..."

"Actually..." Felicity says, making Annabelle turn back, her hand on her forehead. "Do you know anything at all about ferns? The last one of these I had, I over watered it...and then I kind of let it die a slow death without water..." Felicity makes a face. "I was angry..."

Annabelle's brow knots in confusion. "At the fern?"

"A little bit," Felicity admits. "But...more what the other fern represented actually, because..." Felicity cuts herself off. She sounds insane. She clears her throat, reeling herself in. "Can you please do some research for me? Find out you know, the best time of day and amount of water this little guy needs to lead a long and healthy life? Is that an odd thing to ask?"

Annabelle smiles graciously. "I have always wanted to know more about plants. Let me see what I can find."

Felicity grins. "Thank you."

Annabelle gives her a happy smile and leaves, leaving Felicity standing in the middle of her office clutching her box of pens like a grinning fool. The video app on her computer beeps, alerting her to an incoming call, and Felicity heads over to the desk and sits down.

She hits connect on the call that has Oliver's name attached to it. He pops up onto her screen at his desk in City Hall, sans jacket and sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

"Hey," he grins at her, and she can't help beam back at him.

"Hey there. Thank you for my gifts."

"My pleasure. Did they make it through the well wishes? I thought they might get lost among the bunches of flowers."

"They made it through. And I love them. Especially the pens. 12 months supply."

Oliver laughs, the smile crinkling at his eyes. "Let me know when you run low and I will send you some more. What are you doing for lunch?"

Felicity sighs, holding up the cardboard container of salad she'd ordered from the cafe downstairs. "Eating a salad at my desk. I am swamped. I forgot what it was like to be CEO. It's hard. I already had a 9AM meeting with The Board this morning. What a way to kick things off."

"Good thing you are so incredible," Oliver tells her.

Felicity rolls her eyes. "You're biased, but thank you. So, Mr. Mayor, what are you doing for lunch...?"

Oliver holds up his own container of salad. "Salad at my desk. Like you..."

There is another knock at Felicity's office door, and Annabelle is back, this time holding up a paper bag from Big Belly Burger.

"Felicity...did you order Big Belly?"

Felicity groans with relief, and Oliver chuckles. "God, I love you," she tells him. "Husband of the year." Felicity nods to Annabelle who entered and places the bag on her desk. "Thank you," she tells her and Annabelle nods before disappearing again.

"I love you too. See you tonight?"

Felicity nods. "Hopefully I can be out of here by six. Make sure you get some protein, you've got a long night ahead-"

"Are you _propositioning_ me?" Oliver teases and Felicity laughs.

"No, you have a training date with Curtis tonight...." she reminds him, and Oliver sighs, rubbing a hand across his face. "So, maybe stock up on the protein so you keep grumpy-face Oliver in check?" Felicity suggests.

"I can't make any promises," he says before his eyes dart off screen. He nods, checks his watch and then gives her a small smile. "Honey, I have to go. I have a council meeting and I am already running late."

"Good luck!"

"See you tonight," Oliver tells her, and the call disconnects.

Felicity swipes her salad into the bin beside her desk and reaches for the bag of Big Belly Burger. She pops a couple of chips in her mouth, humming a little as she reaches for her tablet, bringing up the latest financial report to study. Felicity heaves a deep breath as she unwraps her burger and takes a bite.

"You've got this," she tells herself, sitting back in her chair, so she can read and eat at the same time. "You've got this Felicity."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget to leave me a comment! Thanks for reading!
> 
> Edit: apologies for the shockingly terrible edit on the earlier version of this chapter. My macbook took a swim and I've been writing and editing on my iPad Pro which for me is just a complete nightmare!


	11. Ice Ice Baby (July 2021)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **#11: Ice Ice Baby**  
>  July 2021: Oliver and Felicity’s ties with ARGUS (and Lyla) are put to the test when Roy's mission in Russia doesn't go to plan…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Sorry for the appalling editing effort last chapter. Totally 100% me screwing up. My MacBook went for a swim and as such, I lost chapters 10-15. I am slowly in the process of reconstructing the 30,000 words I’d lost, and, admittedly, the last chapter was a bit of a hot mess. Let that be a lesson. Don’t write multiple chapters at once (write, upload, write, upload), let your iCloud storage run out, and watch Netflix in the bath (note: it wasn’t plugged in, yeah, I know, I am an idiot).
> 
> We haven’t had a long chapter in a while, so here it is. This is probably one of my favourites I have to admit.

 

 

 

**When We Were Young**

**CHAPTER 11: ICE ICE BABY**

 

**July 2021.**

"Sooo...." Thea says dropping onto Felicity's plush sofa, her tablet in one hand open to her wedding inspo board she'd just been showing Felicity in the kitchen, and a glass of shiraz in the other. "...how about a thin base pepperoni, olive, _and_ cheese for dinner?"

Felicity smiles, following Thea away from the island kitchen bench and towards the sofa, her arms laden with her own tablet, Zoe's baby monitor and a bottle of sparkling water.

" _Pizza_? Aren't you on a pre-wedding pizza cleanse?" Felicity reminds her, taking a seat next to Thea and kicking off her slippers so she can rest and stretch her toes on the edge of the coffee table.

God, it feels good to finally put her feet up. Four days of playing Mom _and_ Dad, an incredibly busy week at QI and night shifts without Oliver and Roy had taken their toll. She was beyond exhausted, and it didn’t help that her current eating and sleeping patterns were significantly out of sorts.

Thea groans, her longer shoulder length dark hair - grown specifically for the wedding - swishing around her shoulders as she shakes her head with displeasure.

" _Ughhh_. I have been on a pizza cleanse since Vegas. I still have like two weeks before the wedding. Come on, _please_?"

Felicity cocks an eyebrow at Thea, who up until last night, had been proudly boasting about her successful diet post bachelor/bachelorette weekend in Vegas with Team Arrow and partners a few weeks ago.

"Am I talking to hungry Thea or _hangry_ Thea right now?" Felicity teases. "Because that’s going to change my response dramatically as I am not taking any blame should you change your mind on the cleanse _later_...“

Thea rolls her eyes at Felicity playfully, stretching her feet out and dropping them in Felicity’s lap to nudge her with her toe.

"As if that's fair! You made me drive half way across town last night on the way home from the bunker for Big Belly and then decided you couldn't eat it. And then you left it in my car!"

Felicity grins at her. "Did _you_ eat it?"

Thea laughs, blushing a little.

"What do you think? It was a double cheeseburger with _extra_ pickles. I'd finished it before I'd pulled out of your long boring suburban street."

Felicity chuckles.

"I _think_ that you are crazy. Aside from your junk food habit, you are in amazing shape. You ran a nine-minute mile last night, in full leathers; I am pretty sure it's a PB." Felicity turns the tablet screen towards Thea showing her the Pizza order she'd made only a few minutes before Thea had arrived for her sleepover. Thea claps her hands together, making a 'praise you' gesture at Felicity.

"Pizza is ten minutes away."

"God I love you," Thea tells her with a wistful sigh reaching for her wine. She takes a sip of the rich red and flashes Felicity a wide smile. "If you weren't already married to my brother, and the Mom/Step-Mom of my precious little niece and gigantic almost adult nephew, I'd set you up with him."

"That's kind of you,” Felicity says with a laugh, but at the mention of Oliver, Felicity's forehead wrinkles. "Have you _heard_ from Oliver and Roy?"

She tries for a nonchalant tone, even tries to make the question seem as casual as possible, checking the screen on the baby monitor to make sure Zoe is still fast-asleep. Felicity tries not spook or draw attention to fact that she's been thinking about Roy and Oliver's whereabouts for the last twelve hours with greater urgency as the time period between check in messages from Oliver from the encrypted Satellite phone she'd given him had widened.

Thea responses with a puzzled look and shakes her head; they knew contact wouldn't be easy, especially as Roy and Oliver were currently in Russia _illegally_ with ARGUS after Lyla's original mission team had been compromised. It’s not like they weren’t used to dangerous situations, but it put both Thea and Felicity on edge given they weren’t in the inner circle; especially Felicity who was so used to being mission command.

"I haven't," Thea admits, "but it's not uncommon when Roy's on ops."

She swirls the red wine around her glass as she considers Felicity’s question more deeply. If Felicity's worried, nay, if _Overwatch_ is worried, then she's officially worried. 

"Should we try to get in contact? Should we talk to Lyla? If you're worried, then I am, because Roy and Oliver can be a bad influence on one another."

Felicity exhales an uneasy breath and frowns, trying to gather her thoughts. Great - she wasn’t the only one actually concerned that Oliver following Roy to Russia without the rest of the team, could actually turn out _worse_. It had seemed like a smart plan at first - Oliver jumping on a plane to help Roy get the hell out of dodge when his mission went south and Lyla couldn't send anyone else to help. Oliver had volunteered, hoping his tenuous relationship with Anatoly and ties in Moscow would help. But that had been four days ago, and it had been 28 hours since Felicity had last had a message from Oliver, and even then it had been vague.

Felicity wants to admit everything, tell Thea honestly how worried she is. But, admittedly, she’s not the most emotionally stable at the moment, and she doesn’t feel like sending them both into a meltdown, just because Felicity can’t handle not playing Overwatch and not being in control of this mission. She gives Thea a reassuring smile, patting her leg comfortingly.

"If anything was wrong Lyla would be on the phone, _immediately_ ," she tells Thea confidently, but in earnest, the words are for her too.

She’s got to pull herself together, especially as there is no actual telling how long they’ll be away for.Everyone - well, the public - is currently under the belief that their dedicated Mayor is taking some time off, camping and hiking the Pacific Crest Trail with a bunch of mates for his soon-to-be brother-in-law's Bachelor party. John was playing Mayor in Oliver’s absence so City Hall was in safe hands. But it still came at some terrible timing, given Thea had left City Hall three months ago to take over as Public Relations Director at Queen Incorporated.

Thea nods. "Totally. And if anything was wrong, you'd know."

Felicity cocks her head at her. “What do you mean?"

Thea shrugs, sipping her wine. "You know, you and Oliver. You both, just like _know_ things about each other like that.”

"Thea, we're not _psychically linked_ ,” Felicity laughs, because the idea while entertaining, is laughable, even if Felicity wishes it was to some extent true. Being psychically linked to Oliver would make their day to day lives in and out of the bunker much easier.

Thea shrugs, and she looks down at her tablet, remembering exactly why she’s here. She was going to ask Felicity’s opinion on some more table setting options she was trying to finalize last minute, but now she’s here, Thea realizes she doesn’t want to talk about the wedding decorations. She wants Felicity’s advice on some pre-wedding tension bubbling between her and Roy before he'd headed off on his mission, but she’s not sure in the slightest how to ask it. Thea lets the screen go black on her tablet and frowns a little, picking at the thread of her distressed knee jeans.

"You and Ollie understand each other though... _deeply_. Maybe it's because you are always in his ear...you know and understand his behavior better than he does..."

Felicity gives Thea a reassuring smile. "Is there something you want to talk about? Is everything okay with you and Roy?"

Thea looks at Felicity, her eyes glassier than before, and she heaves a deep sigh, trying to keep her shit together.

”Honestly? I don't know. When he proposed last year, we agreed on something low key, but, then, somehow this _thing_ has ended up bigger than one of Oliver's campaign rallies and...Roy is freaking out. There are two hundred people coming. _Two hundred_. I don't even know how I still know that many people! The food and venue alone are costing about as much as my Range Rover...and we've been arguing about it...almost constantly. Or we were until Roy picked up an op in Russia and ran off overseas...I mean... _what the fuck_?" Thea takes a deep shaky breath and runs a hand across her face. "We should have just eloped," she admits hopelessly. “Avoided the whole the damn circus, just like you and Ollie did.”

Felicity pats Thea's arm. "No you shouldn't have; you both didn't want that. You wanted dinner and dancing at The Cove with all of your friends and family; even if _James_ ' side of things is a bit more curated than yours. The reality is, weddings are stressful, and it manifests in different ways for different couples. And I know that because I planned _three_ weddings for Oliver and I. You and Roy were so loved up in Vegas. It was beautiful; don't forget that because you can't agree on something so arbitrary like the number of guests."

And it's not a word of a lie. Even Oliver had been in awe of how loved up Thea and Roy were during their jaunt to Vegas, and he'd told her as much openly and proudly that despite the odds, the Queen siblings kind of turned out okay.

"You know money isn't the issue here, not really," Felicity continues. "Roy is probably nervous and _terrified_ he's finally about to get everything he wants; because for a while there, all hope was lost for him. And both of you are so used to any slither of happiness being taken away from you, you are both on edge."

Thea sniffs, wiping her nose on the back of her hand, prompting Felicity to hand her a tissue from the box on the sofa table behind them. Thea huffs a laugh as takes the tissue from Felicity; Felicity is always so prepared.

"So what you are saying is...I am just _freaking_ out?"

Felicity squeezes Thea’s hand and smiles. “ _Yes._ "

Thea lets out a long low sigh, trying to exhale all the stress that's built up inside. Maybe Felicity is right...things have never really gone to plan with her and Roy's relationship, and they are both so conditioned by it, that they are just waiting for things to fall apart.

"How did you get so wise?" Thea asks with a smile. "You always have a solution."

Felicity chuckles. "I have no idea," she shrugs, "but I do spend a lot of my time telling Oliver I told you so."

Their conversation is interrupted by the doorbell, and Felicity gets up eagerly to answer it, fully expecting it to be the pizza delivery. Thea follows her diligently out of the lounge and to the front door, clutching her glass of wine, desperate to get her hands on her pizza as quickly as possible. But when Felicity opens the door, it is Lyla, not their food, standing on the doorstep.

"You're not pizza," Felicity says happily with a smile greeting Lyla. "I thought you were working tonight and couldn’t make it?”

“I’m still on duty officially,” Lyla says with a small wave returning Felicity's smile. “Can I come in?”

Felicity nods, stepping out of the doorway to allow her friend to step through. Felicity closes the door behind her, half expecting Lyla to shrug off her black blazer now she's inside, but Lyla doesn't; instead she looks around quickly, checking that its just the three of them, and that Zoe is in bed.

“Can I get you a glass?” Thea asks, holding up her glass of Shiraz. “Felicity isn't drinking, she's still on medication from the daycare flu, and it’s probably a bad idea if I finish the bottle myself.”

Lyla grimaces, studying both women in turn. “I am actually here in a more _official_ capacity.”

“That sounds ominous…” Thea says folding her arms against her chest as best she can and nursing her wine.

It does. And it is.

Lyla wets her lips, considering her approach carefully and folds her hands in front of her. She's here as the Director of ARGUS, not as their friend, and Felicity realizes instantly, her smile dropping.

"We lost contact with Oliver 26 hours ago," Lyla tells them, her eyes on Felicity. "He and Roy...were meant to be meeting with Anatoly for intel. We have reason to believe that Anatoly didn't show up to the meeting, and we don't know the current whereabouts of any of the three men.”

"You've lost them _completely_?" Thea frowns in disbelief, and Felicity tries to give her a rallying look - one that says hang on, we have options, don’t freak out just yet.

“What about their tracking nanites?” Felicity asks. The whole team had been tagged with them for years now. “If you don’t have access then I can-“

Lyla shakes her head. “There is no signal. The nanites and ARGUS trackers are offline. They were meant to check in this morning, but it's the second checkpoint they have missed.”

“What other options do we have?” Thea asks at the same time Felicity says, “So what's the plan?”

Lyla frowns at them both, hiking her chin a little, trying to keep her cool. This is the bit that is going to smart, she knows it, but she has to hold her ground on this. Right now, she’s not dealing with her children’s godparents or her extended family, she’s dealing with a frustratingly secretively team of vigilantes who lied to her face, and that lie, has massive repercussions both personally, and professional.

“We're working on one,” Lyla says firmly.

Felicity takes a step forward, confused by Lyla’s guarded approach. Out of the corner of her eye, she sees Thea back up a little bit, a little put out by the intensity of the conversation among her friends (and bridesmaids). Thea doesn't usually shy away from a fight, but she's not about to get between Felicity and Lyla.

"And?” Felicity asks.

Lyla presses her lips together in frustration and sighs. "And, it's _closed_ book. I am sorry Felicity. I don't want you, or Thea, anywhere near this thing. We're handing it internally for now. As soon as we make contact with Oliver and Roy, we will let you know.”

Lyla’s phone beeps and she fishes it from the back pocket of her jeans with an apologetic grimace, reading the screen quickly before frowning at them.

“I’m sorry, I have to get back to ARGUS. I didn’t want to have this conversation on the phone.”

Lyla turns on her heel, heading for the front door again, and the bluntness of her exit has Felicity and Thea stunned. Thea gapes at Felicity, but Felicity shakes her head in reply, not taking no for an answer, and follows Lyla out the front door and towards her ARGUS SUV parked in the driveway beside Thea’s.

“Lyla,” Felicity calls, and Lyla stops, her central locking beeping as she keys the button. Lyla turns towards Felicity with a formidably frustrated look. “You're kidding me right?” Felicity asks earnestly, in complete disbelieve that this is how Lyla is playing this.

Lyla is one of their closest friends, a friend who has coffee and cupcakes in the kitchen with her on Sunday afternoons while Zoe and JJ play together. And okay, Lyla had never been a completely open book regarding ARGUS (and admittedly, they haven't played too openly either), but Team Arrow and ARGUS have helped and backed each other up on countless missions before. And now Lyla is just freezing her out? Especially after everything Felicity has specifically done for them in the past?

“Oliver and Roy are missing and you're telling me to _butt_ out? Lyla, I can _help_..."

Lyla purses her lips. "What was Oliver's current relationship with Anatoly like?” she questions bluntly, catching Felicity off guard with the clipped tone of her voice.

Felicity frowns. Damn; that explains it. Felicity had known it had been a bad call the moment Oliver reassured her that omitting some facts to Lyla about Anatoly would be okay. But, it had been a means to an end. Roy needed help in Russia and ARGUS weren't going to let someone with his volatile history with the Bratva anywhere near the mission if he didn't have some sort of leverage. If Oliver couldn't prove to be an asset, it was unlike Lyla would have signed off. Though, Felicity is sure that Lyla knew if she hadn't signed off officially, Oliver would have gone anyway. But if he worked to their requirements, Lyla could at least keep a closer eye on things. Or maybe she'd hoped it. Until now.

"As it always is…” Felicity admits, knowing the answer is not one Lyla wants to hear but hoping her honest might help put this whole situation in better stead.“ _Rocky_. He hadn't totally forgiven Oliver for the last time we were there...”

Lyla groans with anger. “ _So_ when I asked Oliver, _point blank_ , is there anything I need to know regarding his current relationship with the Bratva, and he said ‘no’, what he really meant was ‘yes’, it's possible they aren't going to be _thrilled_ to see him?”

“When are they ever happy to see him?” Felicity says gingerly, trying to defuse the situation. “Lyla, Roy needed help…”

Lyla shakes her head and her anger spikes. “Felicity, Oliver _lied_ to me to get onto this operation. And now, it could cost them their lives. Russia is a _power keg_ at the moment; it had to be handled delicately. And, Roy and Oliver have both handled it about as delicately as Oliver handled joining the league! It’s a fucking mess. There are lots of lights, sirens, and attention in Moscow at the moment. The Russian authorities know we are there, and I don’t have a hope in hell right now keeping this entire operation from blowing up. I’ve already lost _six_ operatives…”

“Let me help,” Felicity offers calmly, but Lyla’s still vividly angry and she shakes her head vehemently.

“ _No_ ,” she says taking a step towards her friend threateningly. “And if I see you _anywhere_ near this, as Overwatch or Ghost Fox Goddess...I won't hesitate to put you in a glass cell until this is over Felicity.” Lyla lowers her voice, taking a quick moment to make sure Thea’s still inside before she says, “Even if you are _pregnant_.”

Felicity takes a shaky breath. _Fuck_. She holds her head up high, the threat somewhat empty, but it doesn't stop a look of surprise, and hurt crossing her face. Not a single person except her doctor, not even Oliver given she'd only found out three days ago herself, knows. The fact that Lyla does, is jarring. Reminds her a little too potently that while Felicity can get information on anyone, _anyone -_ especially those in charge of clandestine government agencies _-_ can get information on her.

"How did you know?”

Lyla grimaces, and for the briefest moment, she looks a little ashamed that she had to threaten Felicity this way.

“You just told me.”

Felicity huffs a defeated laugh and frowns at her friend. She’s 100% sure Lyla’s lying; she's not someone who works reactively. The moment it clicked about Anatoly and Oliver, she would have scoured everything to find something to keep Felicity away from this, and a medical report from Tuesday when Felicity had confirmed at Dr. Liu’s office she was pregnant with her and Oliver’s second biological child would have been the the golden goose.

“No one knows yet,” Felicity tell her, pleads with her for all it is worth to keep it between them. “Especially not Oliver. I don't want him to know until he gets home.”

Lyla sighs, softening a little. She feels awful; this is news they should be celebrating together as friends, not waring over in Felicity’s driveway. But, the bullet has been fired, and Lyla has to get to her head back in the game if she’s going to bring Roy and Oliver home. And she can't do that if Felicity is working blindly against her behind the scenes.

“Let me handle this. I will call you as soon as I know more.”

“Thank you,” Felicity says graciously.

Lyla nods and takes a couple of steps towards her car before she pauses and turns back to Felicity. “How far along are you?”

Felicity smiles cocking her head at Lyla. “What did the doctor’s report say?”

Lyla grimaces. "Eight weeks," she says before her smile lightens a little. "Vegas?" 

Felicity nods. “Vegas. I’m due in February. Right before JJ’s birthday.”

Lyla’s grimace fades, and she gives Felicity a smile. "I am happy for you both. And, I’m going to find Oliver and bring him home.”

Felicity nods a thank you and waits for Lyla to get in the car and reverse down the driveway before heading back inside. Thankfully, Thea’s in the kitchen topping up her glass of wine when Felicity returns.

“I have never wanted to punch Lyla before,” Thea admits boldly, screwing the cap back on the bottle of wine. "I wonder how hard she'd hit me back?"

Felicity grimaces and heaves a sigh. “She's just doing her job. It's not personal. She's just as worried as us. Though, Oliver lying to her didn’t help the situation.”

Thea grimaces. “If he’d told her about the last time we were in Russia, the full story, not the sanitized version we'd made John agree to, there wasn't a chance in hell Lyla would have let him go.”

“I think sometimes we forget that while Lyla’s black ops, her work has lines she has to work with in. We make our own boundaries."

Thea frowns. “But we’re not dropping this right? Because honestly, if we leave this to ARGUS I am pretty sure the number of guests at my wedding is going to be the _least_ of my concerns…”

Felicity takes a step towards Thea, resting her hand on Thea’s forearm comfortingly. “Hey. We are going to find them. _Both_ of them.”

“What do we do?”

Felicity reaches for her phone on the kitchen bench and hands it to Thea.

“Call Curtis and tell him to meet us at the Bunker. I'm going to go get Zoe ready and hope to god that anything she hears at the bunker is too complicated for her to _ever_ repeat or remember.”

Thea gives her a sympathetic look. Having Zoe in the bunker isn't ideal, but it's a reality right now, given it's too late to organize a babysitter, and calling Donna and Quentin is just going to alert them to a situation Felicity and Thea don't have answers for yet.

“What about John?”

Thea asks nervously, knowing the John will be livid when he hears they cut him out of the plan. But, can they really bring him in on it, when Lyla is so totally against them being involved?

“He's got enough to worry about,” Felicity decides, knowing she’s going to have to face a frank conversation with John when he realizes she’d made a move in Oliver’s absence without him. “Let’s keep it between us for now.”

 

#

 

**Six days later.**

Donna is on her feet the moment the tires of Felicity's SUV hit the driveway, springing off the stool at the kitchen bench where she'd been flicking through the latest US Weekly.

"They're back," she says breathlessly to Quentin before breezing through the lounge room and entryway to peer through the panes of glass in Oliver and Felicity's front door. Quentin leisurely gets to his feet from his position on the sofa, switching off the late news he'd been watching while waiting for Felicity’s return from ARGUS.

He meets Donna in the hall as she paces another lap on her platformed heels, nervously chewing at her nails. She's been on edge for days, worried sick about Oliver, and by extension Felicity, who's been working as much as she can at the bunker to find Oliver and Roy.

Quentin hears one car door slam close, and then another a few seconds later, and he tries not to smile as he visualizes his step-daughter berating her husband. He's been around both of them enough over the years to know that Oliver's going to stay strong and silent on the issue as long as he can, letting Felicity's anger burn out, while Felicity will be livid, her mouth and hands moving wildly at a hundred miles an hour much like Donna's do when she gives him a dressing down.

" _Easy_ ," Quentin tells Donna as her pacing stops and she cocks her head to the side listening as their footsteps trail up the path to the front door, "just let them inside first..."

But the moment the key is in the lock, Donna is eagerly pulling open the front door, her eye falling on Oliver instantly - and shit, it's worse that Felicity had said on the phone. He's battered and bruised, his lip cut and swollen, and his left cheekbone clearly fractured from the amount of bruising. He's dressed head to toe in black ARGUS attire, and she notes from the way he favors one side, his arm draped across his left ribs as he stepped across the threshold into the house, his movements more labored than usual, he's clearly supporting a number of injuries she can't immediately see.

"Oliver," Donna sighs in relief, throwing her arms around his neck so quickly it has him letting out a low 'ooof' sound as she unintentionally knocks the air out of him, "you're alive!"

"Hi Donna," he tells her, touched as Donna pulls away with small sniffle trying to hold back tears of joy to see him. He gives her a quick cheek kiss to say thank you. "I am fine," he tells her reassuringly, "nothing I haven't been through before."

Donna nods and steps aside to give Oliver room to talk to Quentin.

"Good to have you home,” Quentin says, clapping him on the shoulder. "Looks like the _Pacific Crest Trail_ hit back a little harder than you were expecting."

Oliver laughs, rubs a hand through his beard (now ten days long) and gives both Donna and Quentin a blinding smile. "Let's say it'll be a while before I hit that _particular_ trail again." He gives Felicity a smile, but her arms are crossed against her chest and she looks less than receptive. "I am very glad to be home."

It doesn't go unnoticed by Donna and Quentin, who share a candid look themselves before Quentin gives Oliver a wide grin. "So, the Rockets beat the Diamonds last weekend..."

Oliver laughs. "Joe and Barry are going to be so pissed off..."

"They were; I messaged them...couldn't wait for the wedding to rub it in..."

Oliver chuckles again and they both disappear into the kitchen heading for higher ground. Felicity sighs loudly, her frustration rumbling like thunder, and once she's closed the front door, and dropped her handbag and keys on the hallway table adorned with framed photographs of their family, Donna pulls her into a hug.

"You okay?" She whispers to her daughter, brushing her hand through the back of Felicity's hair tenderly, holding her close.

Felicity hugs her back tightly, thankfully, and nods. "Yep," she says with a small smile, taking a step back and adjusting her glasses. "I feel like I am going to barf, but otherwise I am _fine_."

Fine is a lie, and both women know it. Donna gives her a comforting smile.

Did you tell him?" Donna asks as quietly and discretely as she can through her teeth, but Felicity frowns and shakes her head. Two days ago, when Oliver and Roy’s whereabouts were still unknown, Felicity has confided in her mother about the new baby, desperate for some reassurance that if Oliver didn’t make it home, Donna would be by her side.

"Not yet,” Felicity admits, rubbing her currently flip-flopping stomach. Felicity scrunched her nose in annoyance. "There was a crowd at ARGUS and I was too busy yelling at Oliver on the way home. I don't want to tell him while I am angry. That's not fair to _anyone_."

"Hon," Donna tuts, rubbing Felicity's shoulder. "He's home now, and that's the main thing," she reassures her daughter sagely. "You'll patch things up with Lyla in time, and next weekend it'll all be a distant worry as we'll be so happy to see Roy and Thea tie the knot."

Felicity nods, knowing that essentially Donna is right, but Felicity can’t just ignore the wall of worry and anger that's built up deep in her chest over the past few days. At one point, a very low point a couple of days ago, it wasn't clear if either Roy or Oliver were still alive, despite the best efforts of Lyla's operation intelligence team and Felicity own incredible tracking skills. Oliver running off to rescue someone, facing almost certain dead himself is something that happens all too frequently. And, Felicity, right now - is at the end of her emotional tether. The past few days haven’t been fair to anyone, least of all her and the kids, and she's not quite ready to just let it go, even though she knows that she should.

"I'm not upset he went Mom," Felicity says, heaving a deep sigh. "We talked about it before he left; I was 100% on board. But, this isn't the first time he's just _disappeared_. I thought he was dead....again. And I know it was out of his control but...." Felicity shakes her head and heaves another exasperated sigh. "Fucking Russia. _Every-goddamn-time_.”

Donna laughs half-heartedly, wrapping her arms around Felicity, holding her close. "You know you love that man for all of his faults...and his biggest fault is always trying to protect and save the people he loves."

“I know he's home and he's safe now…” Felicity reasons, “But, what if he wasn’t? What if he died and I never got to tell him? And I had to raise our family without him? Mom, I couldn't do this _without_ him..." Felicity says, and before she realizes, she's crying, thick tears slipping down her face… _and why the hell does she have to cry_? That's not fair in the slightest. She's still angry, she can't just skip a step!

Donna tries to wipes them away, smiling at her kindly, but Felicity shrugs her off gently and pulls off her glasses, wiping her tears on the shoulder of her blue and white striped tee shirt like a little kid instead. She's so tightly wound, relieved, nauseated and angry all at the same time that she's threatening to turn into a blubbering mess in an instant...

"Felicity, honey, decaf or normal-?" Oliver says appearing in the doorway, and he realizes all to quickly he's walked in on something he wasn't expecting. He hesitates for a moment, before he's at Felicity's side, pulling her into his chest, wrapping himself around her protectively even though it hurts like hell physically to do so, both with his cracked ribs and utterly ruined knee.

She relents in his embrace, crying thick tears into the neck of his black ARGUS issued shirt, finally letting the days of worry and her overwrought emotions win as she clutches to him like letting go would _destroy_ her.

"I thought I'd lost you,” she sobs and he frowns and kisses the top of her head softly, one hand threaded through the hair at the back of her neck, the other firm and comforting in the middle of her shoulders.

"Shhhhh," he tells her gently, her cheek pressed into his chest. "I am right here, honey, I'm right here."

Nearby, Donna gives her son-in-law a tender smile. Oliver Queen is both a hero and a complete idiot when it comes to her daughter - still, after all these years. He loves her so much, so blindly, that sometimes he just has no clue.

And, Donna's learned through years of meddling, that sometimes the best support she can offer them, is to make herself scarce and let them fight or make up without her complicating everything. She's done all she can for Zoe, keeping an eye on her while the three-year-old took a bath, had dinner and was put to bed, and now that Felicity and Oliver are back, it's time for her and Quentin to go home.

"Quentin, hon," Donna calls heading for the doorway to get the attention of her husband. "I think we might head home."

Quentin doesn't need to be told twice, and he's back in the entryway with Donna's bright tasseled handbag and leather jacket in no time.

"Zoe woke up about nine, but we gave her a bottle, and she's been out ever since," he tells them with a smile. It's no secret at all how much he absolutely dotes on his granddaughter. "Hopefully she'll sleep through so you can both get some rest.”

"Thank you," Felicity says tearily, taking a small step back from Oliver, knowing that he must be in a hell of a lot of pain right now. She entangles her fingers with his because she just needs him close, she just needs to touch him.

" _Seriously_ , thank you," she tells Donna and Quentin, _not just for tonight, but the last few days_ is implied.

"It's our pleasure hon," Donna says, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You both get some rest okay?"

Felicity nods and waves a thank you, and then Quentin and Donna leave, closing the front door behind them.

Felicity turns back towards Oliver and waits, spends a whole minute or two looking at him in silence, battered and bruised before she softens. She presses her palm against his bruised cheek, and he winces a little but doesn't move away from her touch. He can't; he's missed her so goddamn much.

Felicity frowns at him. "There is ice in the freezer," she tells him, "why don't you run a cold bath and I'll get it, and the vodka."

Oliver breathes a sigh of relief and takes her face in his hands, gently stroking at her tear stained cheeks with his thumb. He presses his forehead to hers softly, wanting nothing more than to kiss her with everything his has, but fearing once he starts, he's not going to get into that bath, and right now, he really needs that ice bath. And he hates that reality.

She clutches at his elbows, holding him close, taking this minute together.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently, knowing that she's definitely not.

She softens, blowing out an anxious breath, and breaks away from his tender touch holding her face close to his, to tip his head towards hers and kiss his forehead.

"For now," she tells him and then takes a step back, sliding her hands down the collar of his shirt, working open the top couple of buttons for him which might be painful to reach himself.

"Now, would you like the good top shelf vodka or your traditional I've-had-an-awful-day-paint-thinner?" She teases, sliding her hands into the back pocket of her jeans once the first few buttons of his shirt are free.

"Top shelf," he says, trying not to smile at her joke. "Nothing with a Russian label."

Felicity huffs a frustrated laugh and makes to step away, but he pulls her back gently for a clumsy (because of his split lip) kiss. It's soft and sweet and the first kiss they've shared in ten days.

God, so much has happened in that time.

 

#

 

Oliver hisses as the ice from the large glass mixing bowl Felicity is pouring into the bath hits his bruised and painful skin and bounces off into the large tub and cold water with a splash.

It's the last lot of ice she's going to give him, and he knows it, because she then places the bowl in the sink, and reaches for the bottle of vodka and glass from the tray she’d brought up from the kitchen. She places them on the small vanity beside him. The tinkle of ice echoes off the walls when she drops some spare cubes into the glass and pours in enough vodka for two shots; a generous amount considering he knows she's still largely upset with him. She hands him the glass with pursed lips, and he knows she’s carefully considering exactly what she’s going to say or do next, and it has him a little bit worried.

But, it’s okay; he'll gladly listen to Felicity admonish him from now until the end of time if it means they get to live in this very moment. The mere sight of her - in casual light blue jeans and a t shirt, her feet adorned with the fluffy pink bunny ballet slippers Zoe had bought her for Mother's Day complimenting her pale pink nails now tapping on the vanity as he lifts the glass to his lips and sips from it - is heartwarming. It's the energy that's been flowing through his exhausted limbs for the last horrible week of his life, keeping him motivated to get home to hold Zoe, Will, and her, to be with his family.

Christ, he's just so very relieved to be off that ARGUS plane and out of Russia. He’s grateful to be home.

“Lyla is livid with _both_ of us,” she says, folding her arms against her chest pensively, and looking down at him, her black frame glasses slipping down her nose. “She threatened to hold me in an ARGUS cell if I got involved, but by the time she realized what I’d been doing to find you, it was too late. She had to pull you and Roy out. And, I’m pretty sure after you lied to her about being on good terms with Anatoly, you’re probably going to have your ARGUS freelancer status removed as well.”

“I’m okay with that,” Oliver tells her, and then his brow furrows. “She really threatened you?"

He’d admitted sensed some tension between Felicity and Lyla at ARGUS, but he wasn't sure if it was just the environment or if they really had butted heads on this one.

"Yes," Felicity says. "And I think what made her more angry at me than not listening to her threat, was finding you before her mission intel team did.”

Oliver huffs a laugh - because yeah, his badass wife trumped his best friend’s badass wife - but it hurts. He has four cracked ribs and a torso more purple and blue than skin, and he lulls his head back against the built in headrest of their large luxurious bath. There is room for both of them in the tub, but it's filled to his sternum with cold water, trying to relieve some of the pain of his injuries. He wants nothing more than to pull her in with him, sit with her in his lap, in his arms, in a bubble bath and just hold her, but the look she's giving him tells him the mere suggestion might be grounds for divorce right now.

“Well, you _and_ Lyla can both yell at me as much as you need," he tells her pressing his cold glass to the purple lumpy bruise on his left cheek and giving her a smile.

The smile hurts, and he swears her mouth twitches a little, holding back her own smile.

"But, Lyla got what ARGUS needed, Anatoly is only _mildly_ angry, and I should get props from Thea for getting the groom back home in time for the wedding.”

He's in the worst shape she's ever seen physically. He is black and blue from head to toe, looks like he should be lying on a cold metal table somewhere, and he's got a stupid cocksure look on his face which while normally charming and sexy as hell, makes her want to punch him herself. Stupid vigilante do-gooding husband. Ugh.

The look he gives her says she said the last bit aloud, but she isn't fazed. She hikes her chin a little and it makes Oliver smile.

"...you can punch me if you want," he says. “I know your right hook can do some damage. But I will need more ice for my face if that's your plan."

He takes a sip of his vodka, making a face as it burns the cut on his split lip, and then pats the side of the tub, gesturing for her to sit close to him on the small bath ledge.

"It's not funny," she says sitting down beside him.

She kisses the top of his head, grooming her fingers through his short wet hair, massaging his scalp. He moans at her touch, closing his eyes as she soothes him.

"I know; I am sorry."

She smiles at him. "For what _exactly_...?"

He opens his eyes and cocks his head at her, nuzzling her hand. "... _Everything_?" He hedges.

She frowns and exhales a loud sigh. "That's not _specific_ enough Oliver..." she says pulling back from him, but before she can say another word, Zoe's cries for Momma echo down the hall halting their conversation.

Felicity frowns, scrubbing the back of her wet hand across her forehead in frustration, knowing their daughter has developed the exact precisely bad timing to interrupt any serious conversation they have.

Oliver's face lights up, desperate to see Zoe and excited by the possibility she's awake, but Felicity shakes her head vehemently.

"I'll go. You finish your bath. She'll be too excited to sleep if she sees you and I can't handle that right now. Plus, she can't see you like this. You're a mess."

Felicity kisses the top of his head again, before getting to her feet. She heads for the bathroom door.

"Drink your vodka and I will get you something for your headache."

The door closes behind her with a click and Oliver groans, leaning his head back against the headrest again. His mission with Roy and ARGUS had run days over, and he and Roy were honestly lucky to be alive. They'd been blown up, beaten, shot at (repeatedly) and held against their will. He'd left her, their children, their team, and his responsibilities as Mayor up in the air - and his relationship with Anatoly was still as volatile as ever.

Thoroughly icy, both from the bath and Felicity's own frostiness, Oliver gingerly crawls out of the tub a few minutes later, downs another shot or two of vodka and heads for bed in his boxer briefs.

His body aches and he's beyond exhausted, but he wants to wait for her as long as he can, so he switches on her bedside light, and arranges his pillows so he can sit up with as little pain as possible.

He sits there, their bedroom door open slightly, listening to Felicity softly sing Zoe back to sleep in the room next door with choruses and choruses of _somewhere over the rainbow_ , Zoe's favorite song. It’s the most beautiful thing he’s heard in what feels like forever and it has his own eyelids heavy.

He can't stomach going to sleep before he’s told her again how much he loves her, until she’s here beside him, until he asks her how the kids are doing, until he can fall asleep curled around her…

“ _Special_ aspirins,” Felicity says, turning on his bedside light and standing over him with a small smile on her face. She holds the oxycodone out to him in one hand, and a glass of water in the other. “Not recommended with the vodka but I figure it will help you get some sleep.”

Oliver scrubs his hand across his face, trying to get all his faculties working, and once he's lucid he gingerly swings his feet over the edge of the bed, his toes hitting the plush carpet and one arm braced against his aching ribs as he takes the glass of water. He takes a sip, wetting his throat, and then takes the painkillers from Felicity's palm.

Felicity watches him intently, as he swallows the pills and drains the glass of water, her eyes on his the whole time. Once the glass is back on the bedside table she steps closer, wedging herself between his knees, and he wraps his arm around the backs of her legs, pillowing his head, and his bruise-free cheekbone on her stomach as she massages the tender muscles in his shoulders.

“Any word from Sara or Ray while I have been gone?" He asks huskily, his voice laced with sleep. "I could really do with some miraculous medical help from Gideon right now.”

Felicity shakes her head, a smile playing on her lips. “Afraid not. You’re going to have to take it easy for a while."

Oliver grimaces. “I’m pretty sure my knee is _fucked_ ," he says, looking down at the badly bruised and swollen joint. It's pretty miraculous it's held out this long. He should have had surgery on it years ago.

“I can talk to Curtis. He’s been working on some new medical prototypes…”

Oliver looks up at her, resting his chin on her stomach. "You want to turn me into a robot?" Felicity rolls her eyes, prepares to make a comment about her own technical enhancements to help her walk, but Oliver smiles at her. "I’m kidding," he says heading her off. "And, _Yeah_ , let’s talk to Curtis. I’m pretty sure the mileage on this is up and the next parkour run I take, I’m going to end up on my face.”

Felicity rubs her thumb against the bruise on his cheek and Oliver winces, "Owww…”

“Sorry," she says, but he doesn't really believe her because she is smiling down at him.

He takes her smile as encouragement, that her anger with him is slowly trickling away, and he uses that to his advantage, pressing his lips to her stomach tenderly. It through pure coincidence only that he does it, because he's seated and she's standing and her stomach is the closest skin he can kiss, but it has her on edge. She has to tell him about the baby - she wants to tell him about the baby - but it's so _unplanned_.

They had agreed earlier in the year to wait a little longer, maybe another year or two to have another baby, so her being pregnant now, not even a year into his second term as Mayor is going to throw that plan into chaos.

Receiving no protest from her, only encouragement as she cups the nape of his neck, Oliver pulls up the hem of Felicity's t-shirt up, placing long open mouth kisses across her abdomen, before unbuttoning the catch on her tight jeans.

"How on earth are you expecting this to work?" She asks with bemusement as he slips his fingers into the rear waistband of her jeans, pulling them down her legs. "You have three cracked ribs," Felicity reminds him, stepping out of them at Oliver's prompting as the jeans hit the floor.

"We'll figure it out," he tells her gesturing for her to pull off her shirt and then once she's stripped down to her underwear he pulls her gently into his lap, his lips grazing across her lace covered breasts, his arms banded around her as she tries to climb onto the bed...

" _Fuck_ …" Oliver hisses in pain before he can catch himself, and Felicity recoils, taking a step backward out of his lap, her feet firmly on the floor again.

She drops her hands to her hips, and Oliver looks up at her sheepishly, his arm wrapped around his injured torso again, the compression helping a little.

"Are you okay?"

He nods and frowns. "Yeah," he says, his voice laced with disappointment. "I'd be better if I could _show_ you how much I missed you. Why don't I just admit that you are always right?"

Felicity sighs, stepping closer again, tipping his head up towards her and then leaning forward to kiss him softly. "I _know_ how much you missed me, Oliver. And I have been asking myself the same question for nearly ten years."

Oliver runs his fingertips up the back of her bare thighs again. "I am sorry for making you worry," he says, drawing featherlight patterns on her skin. "And for putting you in a position you had no control over, especially with Lyla."

Felicity sighs because he's become so good at saying the exact right thing at the right time. Oliver sees the tenderness return to her face and he gives her a brilliant smile.

"I love you."

She smiles at him. "I love you too," she tells him. "Even though you make me fucking furious half of the time."

"Only half of the time?" Oliver laughs placing a kiss on her abdomen again, determined to make this work. He needs to make love to his wife. Or at the very least, show her how much he loves her by kissing as much of her he can. "How are the kids?"

Felicity frowns. "They have both missed you terribly."

Felicity sucks her bottom lip between her teeth for a moment, as Oliver's mouth continues to trace her skin tenderly.

"In fact, Zoe has been a fucking nightmare actually..." she admits, and then she starts crying again, pulling off her glasses and covering her eyes with her fingers as she starts to sob hopelessly at her daughter's erratic behavior without Oliver around. _Ugh, get it together Felicity!_

Bewildered Oliver climbs to his feet, pulling her close, his hands on her hips, trying to ground her.

"Hey hey hey," he soothes, bending his knees a little (and only letting out a tiny moan is discomfort even if it actually fucking hurts like hell) so he can meet her gaze as best he can. "Why wasn’t Will here with you?"

"He has been when he can," Felicity admits, "but he’s been so busy. They’ve been short on EMTs so they have increased the hours of his cadetship for the summer and…Oliver, he's had so much to worry about already…I didn’t know if you were coming home.... and I had no idea how to explain that to myself let alone our sixteen-year-old son. It just hasn’t been easy..."

 _"Fe-_ lic _-_ ity _,_ you’re exhausted," Oliver tells her, recognizing her spiraling babbling all too well, but to his surprise, Felicity laughs at him a little manically and it has him confused.

"Oliver, I’m _pregnant_. I found out last week-"

Without thinking, without the slightest bit of worry about injuries or pain or fear, Oliver kisses her, presses his lips to hers so passionately he find himself cupping her face as she returns his kisses just as ardently. But, his body burns, and after a number of intense kisses, they break apart, foreheads resting together, panting softly.

"How far?"

Felicity finally smiles, her amazing smile, the bright one that he still falls in love with every time.

"Eight weeks," she says coyly biting her lip nervously and he beams back at her.

"Las Vegas?" He grins, and the look that shines back at her through his tired and pained eyes is more love than she could ever need.

It's warming, and it makes her shiver; they'd had yet another near miss but, despite the odds he is here, holding her, and for all the bad, all the worry, this is worth everything. For the rest of their lives.

"I knew we enjoyed the long toddler free weekend too much," he teases. "I love you so _very_ much," he tells her softly, kissing gently across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose with soft cherished kisses. Their life together is insane; but them having another baby is the best news he could have ever returned home to, even if it throws their plan a little out the window.

She holds her hands over his, his palms still caressing her skin, still tenderly holding her face close.

"Even though you’ve got another seven months of me being a complete hormonal mess?"

"Especially so," he grins, kissing her again.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I'm hoping I can reconstruct chapter 12 in the next few days because I think we are very long overdue on some stories featuring William...not just talking about him! 
> 
> Can't wait to hear your thoughts on this chapter - don't forget to leave me a comment!


	12. Love is a Battlefield (October 2022)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **#12 Love is a Battlefield** (October 2022): Will calls for Felicity’s help after his party plans go awry. Oliver and Felicity deliberate their family dynamic after Samantha makes a big decision that will impact the Queen Family’s future.

 

 

 

**When We Were Young**

**#12 LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD**

**October 2022.**

"This song _sucks_." 

Felicity frowns, halting the drumming of her fingertips on the steering wheel in time to the pop song on the radio.

In all honesty, she doesn't even know what the song William so vehemently hates _is_ , but its upbeat melody is a direct contrast to the surly and slightly intoxicated seventeen-year-old seething with angst in the passenger seat beside her. 

Felicity taps the button on her steering wheel to shut off the volume of the radio, and heaves a sigh. She'd left home in such a rush to pick Will up, his plea for help so rare because he was so rarely in _trouble_ , that Felicity was still reeling by the situation, and feeling a little out of her depth.

Will had called _her_ for help. Not his _Mom_ , or his _Dad_ , but _her_ , his Stepmom. And while she is thankful that their relationship is strong enough that he feels comfortable calling her for help anytime day or night, it was hard to shake the feeling that she’d been the first call because he believed she was the weakest, the pushover, of his three parents. Will and her had a great relationship, but, a lot of the time, Felicity got caught between Samantha and Oliver’s different philosophies on parenting their teenage son (and it had admittedly been like that since day one). 

It had taken her a good half an hour to cross the city from the Queen home in the wealthier end of Adam’s Heights to University Quarter, where she found him sitting in the gutter of a run down student house, whose greatest distinguishable feature seemed to be the crude street art of a pin up girl painted on the street facing wall. The music and noise inside the house had been loud and jovial when Felicity had pulled up, whatever party inside in full swing, but Will had climbed into the car miserable and his clothes reeking of what she is pretty sure is a potent cocktail of coconut rum and beer. 

"You want to talk about it?" She asks, sneaking a gentle look at her stepson, his long arms folded against his chest, his jaw set so tightly she winces at the thought of how upset Samantha would be at him grinding his teeth like that. 

Frankly, she's not sure what he's so annoyed about given she'd just dropped everything, told Oliver she'd needed diapers and jumped in the car to drive half way across town to pick him up from some random party. She's been nothing but calm and supportive since he’d climbed into the car, preferring to understand why she was picking him up drunk from a strange house across town before chewing him out.

Will looks positively gutted, his hands wrung together, his thigh bouncing with frustration. And it makes her heart bleed a little, they way he tries repeatedly to secretly wipe away tears on the sleeve of his shirt, determined to not let her, or probably anyone, see. But, she knows him, he’s her son, and while she has more experience raising babies (they've got two now, Zoe and Robbie), and adolescence is nothing more than a painful and distant memory of her own experience, she knows Will. And, over the years he’s become more like the worrisome and bleeding hearted Oliver than she’d ever thought possible. 

"Does Dad know?" Will asks tentatively, biting his lip, trading her question for his own, and worried to no end that he’s about to face his father’s angrier and secret alter-ego.

Felicity shakes her head. "Not yet." 

"Thank you." Will sighs with relief and leans his head back against the headrest of the passenger seat. 

That buys him at least the next twenty minutes to get his story straight before facing the firing squad (aka hi Dad and Mom). Because, admittedly, no matter how scary Felicity could be, he feared his Dad worse. Being on the wrong end of his father’s steely gaze, tightly set jaw and growl was enough to put the fear of _Green Arrow_ into him. Hopefully, though, his Dad is at the bunker tonight and he can slip into Oliver and Felicity’s house, his second home, relatively unscathed. Dealing with his Dad in the morning is one thing, but dealing with him now - when his head hurts, his stomach is uneasy and he’s reeling from the emotional torture of breaking up with the girl of his dreams in front of a party of people - would literally be hell.

"You’re not getting out of it that easy," Felicity tells him neutrally. "You can explain to Dad yourself as soon as we get home."

Will frowns. “He’s not at the Bunker?” 

Felicity shakes her head, prompting a large anxious groan from Will. “Not tonight.”

“Felicity, he'll _kill_ me."

Felicity hikes her chin. "Not if you've got a stellar reason as to why I am picking you up from a party on a Wednesday night when you are meant to be at work, and by extension at home in bed for school tomorrow, reeking of…” she sniffs the air. "Dear God, _coconut rum_?" 

Will picks at the dirt patch on the knee of his black jeans and frowns, his head lolling in Felicity's direction. 

"Chelsea dumped me." The words slide off his tongue easily, but they hit him square in the chest. _She’d dumped him_. 

Felicity tries to hide her surprise. 

"Did she say why?" She asks gently. Information first. 

Will shakes his head. "Not really. But Jason told me he saw her at the movies last night with the footy and cheerleading crew. She used to have a crush on Alistair Peters. He was at the party too.” 

And even though she’s not supportive of his actions in the slightest, they at least make a hell of a lot more sense now.Chelsea Bishop is a bright, auburn haired, charming girl in his class he’d crushed on for the past few months, before finally convincing her to date him after a summer spent life guarding at the local pool and working as Cadet EMTs together. 

Normally Felicity’d be jumping in with the judgment right away, but she tries not to spook him. He’s seventeen and while he’s mostly an open book, she still gets nervous that one day, with a flick of a switch, that could turn. Not all boys are built like her sweet son. Not when hormones kick in. 

Felicity frowns. "That _sucks_." 

Will nods. “Yep,” he says morosely, popping the P. 

Felicity sighs. She can't take him straight home; not when she can see his fragile little heart breaking right before her eyes. Will sniffs loudly and then finally admitting defeat on his drunk emotions, he uses the wrist of his long sleeve shirt to wipe his nose. 

And Felicity’s heart breaks. Will adored Chelsea. She knows exactly what it feels like to have your heart broken for the first time. 

She makes her next decision in a split second, as she slows at the traffic lights on Fifth. There is a Diner just up the road, and they make the best Sundaes this side of Star City. Felicity doesn't tell Will her plans, but his eyes dart to hers in surprise as she pulls the SUV into the parking lot outside Betty’s. 

“What are we doing?” He asks, almost nervously, like maybe it's a trap, and he doesn't have the car ride home to mentally prepare for the fallout with his Dad. 

“Stopping for ice cream,” Felicity says brightly, pulling the car into a lot near the door and shutting off the engine. She gives him a large smile at the puzzled look still coloring his face. “Are you going to tell me you are too old for _ice cream_?” She teases, throwing off her seat belt. 

Will shakes his head. “No…but aren't I grounded or _something_?” 

And yeah, he’s right. Once Samantha and Oliver find out, he’s totally 100% grounded. And she knows before she even has to speak to Oliver that Will’s punishment will start with a 5 am, 8km run around Star Bay with his father, which is no doubt going to hurt after copious amounts of coconut rum (it was a move Oliver used to pull on a hungover Roy when he used to work at Verdant all those years ago and live his double life as a bartender and wise-ass vigilante). 

But, right now, Will needs a sympathetic ear and some advice. It was always her Mom’s first rule. Talk first, punishment second. And okay, there are a lot of parenting rules Felicity doesn’t and won’t take from her Mom’s playbook ( _a lot_ ), but this is now one of her’s. She’s not putting a friendship with Will over parenting him, but for her to be the best parent she can be, like anything in her life, she needs information. And, as they say, you attract more flies with honey…

“Yes,” Felicity tells him with a grimace. “Very much so. I will talk to your Dad _and_ your Mom.But, right now, we’re going into Betty’s for ice cream. Ice cream is absolutely the _very first thing_ anyone must do following a breakup.”

Will follows Felicity inside, his eyes downcast and hands hidden in the pockets of his jeans. They select a booth by the window, overlooking the road, and once they are seated across from each other, Will finally looks up at his Stepmom bracing himself for one of Felicity’s pep-talks.

If he’s honest, he’s no stranger to them, and they usually make him feel _a hell_ of a lot better.Oliver is a good Dad, he’s fair and loving, but he’s also incredibly tough when it comes to any behavior that he recognizes in himself at Will’s age. He’s so determined for Will to not turn out like he did, before the island, that he tends to be a little _unreasonable_ at times. It’s part of the reason Will’s so glad to have Felicity in his life too. She balances out the extremes of his other parents, including Tim, his Mom’s nice but albeit incredibly-out-of-his-depth-around- _any_ -children fiancé. 

“You'll find another girl just as special as Chelsea, I promise,” Felicity tells Will gently. 

Will huffs a laugh, the same way his Dad does when he’s morose. “Felicity, you’ve been with Dad _forever_.”

Felicity smiles. “Not _forever_ , thank you very much…but I did have boyfriends before your Dad. And admittedly when I had feelings for your Dad and your Dad was being…well, _your Dad_. And, as you know, we did break up _once_ , before we got married.” 

Despite his somewhat buzzed brain, Will makes the connection between their stop for ice-cream and Felicity’s relationship with his Dad. She’s being nice; getting him some ice-cream to lament over before they head home. It's kind, it's probably more than he deserves given he’d lied to everyone about being at work tonight, but he can't admit that too openly. Because he knows, that he’s largely a good and sensible kid. And he’s rarely in trouble…so can't they just cut him some slack? He just needed to blow off some steam…

“You still eat ice cream when he pisses you off,” Will notes. 

Felicity chuckles. “Trust me, I used to eat _a lot_ more ice cream when he pissed me off _before_ we started dating. Ice cream is my go to.” Felicity folds her hands on the diner table. In for a penny, in for a pound, and she’d wager that Will’s behavior, bunking off work, lying, getting drunk…that it all amounts to a lot more than breaking up with Chelsea Bishop. Especially after the conversation she’d had with Samantha yesterday. “So, your Mom told me about _London_ …”

Will frowns, picking at a scratch on the old retro tabletop. “What did she say?”

“That she'd love for you to go with her...” Felicity starts to say, but Will huffs at her indignantly and folds his arms against his chest. He doesn’t want to talk about this; he doesn't even understand why it's even happening. 

He and his Mom had run away to London all those years ago after Damien Darhk had kidnapped him and they’d gone into hiding. And he’d hated it there. He and his Mom both had. It was cold, wet and miserable. He couldn’t understand why she wanted to go back there. It was so far away from his family - from his Dad, Felicity, little Zoe and baby Robbie. And even his cousin Luca, Aunt Thea and Uncle Roy. And what if his Dad and Felicity had _another_ baby? He loved being a big brother. He didn't want to not know his siblings. He wanted to watch them grow up. To teach them things. He and his Mom had been so alone, without family so long when he was a kid and they lived in Central City away from his grandparents, why did she want to do that again? 

“Will?” Felicity asks nervously and Will sighs, shaking himself out of his reverie. 

“I don't know how to tell her I don't want to go,” he says dropping his hands either side of him on the seat, nervously kneading at the ancient vinyl seat cushion.

Felicity’s mouth twitches in surprise, in relief actually, but she doesn't want to seem too happy about Will’s confession.

“You don't?” She asks a little more breathlessly than intended, and then to cover it up, coughs a little. 

Will meets her eye. “Why would I want to leave everyone? My friends? Zoe and Robbie? You and Dad? Aunt Thea, Roy, and Luca? I don't know why she wants to go. She _hates_ London. It's cold _and_ miserable _and_ lonely. She has a good job here at Star General…”

Felicity gives him a kind patient smile. She can’t help feel that he kinda _doth protest too much_. 

“Will, honey, it _is_ okay if you do want to go. Your Dad and I, we understand. You live with your Mom mostly during the week...”

“What if I lived with you?” Will asks quickly, sitting forward, his eyes alight with excitement for his plan. “While Mom and Tim are in London? Until college next year? I know you've got Zoe and Robbie and you and Dad are both so busy with work and Team Arrow…but…I mean… I'd help out. I could babysit for you?”

“Will, honey, you don't have to babysit…” Felicity tries to explain, but Will is too eager, too excited now. 

“I would do it for free,” Will tells her eagerly. “I like spending time with them. I mean, Zoe's a little annoying sometimes, but it's nice you know? I don't want to leave them. I like having a kid sister and brother.”

Felicity tries not to smile, tries not to get too excited herself. Because to her, it sounds perfect. She wants nothing more than to have Will with them full time. She knows saying goodbye has been weighing heavily on Oliver’s mind over the past 24 hours, and the kids absolutely adore him. _She_ loves him. She can't imagine their lives without their eldest son. But at the same time, Will asking to stay in Star City, will devastate Samantha. She’d raised him for twelve years without any help, and they’d all had a steep learning curve adjusting to their complicated little family dynamic. But now it ran like clockwork, and Samantha heading back to London, where her husband Tim was from, was akin to smashing her spinal implant with a hammer. 

“Are you sure?” Felicity asks hesitantly, trying to appear as noncommittal as she can. 

Will nods emphatically. “Please Felicity? I don't want to go back to London, I swear.” 

Felicity gives him a wide smile. And yep okay, she’s about to overstep her mark but…

“I'll talk to your Dad,” she tells him, reaching over and squeezing his hand. “And we'll figure out how to ask your Mom. But, just between you and me, we'd love to have you live with us. And you don't have to babysit.” 

Will smiles at her broadly, his worry lifted from his broody brow. 

The waitress, no older than twenty, heads over to them and offers an apologetic smile. Even though it is late, the diner is still pretty busy with another five tables dotted around the place. 

"Sorry for the wait tonight, it's been crazy. What can I getcha?” She asks, smiling broadly at them with perfectly straight white teeth, her long ponytail bouncing as she holds her ordering tablet at the ready.

“Chocolate sundae with sprinkles and choc chips,” Felicity says happily. “And extra topping please.” 

Felicity hands him the menu from the table but Will shakes his head. “Same,” he says to the waitress coyly. “But strawberry please.” 

The Waitress grins at them. “Perfect. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” 

Felicity waits until the Waitress has turned from the table before she pulls her phone from her handbag and shoots off a text to Oliver, updating him on the current situation. 

_Picked Will up from a party. He’s been drinking. Long story. Stay calm. We’ll be home soon. x_

“Felicity...?” 

Felicity finishes her text to Oliver and looks up, smiling at Will. “Yeah, hon?”

“If I move in,” Will says delicately, “do you think it would be okay if can start to call you Mom? I mean, you are my Mom too. It seems weird not to after all these years. If that's okay?” 

Felicity gives him a kind smile. Calling her Mom has been something they’d never discussed. He was right, she was his Mom, _one_ of his Moms. And she felt really chuffed, maybe even a little teary that he wanted to give her that honour officially. 

“More than,” she says with a huge smile, and he replies in kind.

 

*

 

Will heaves a deep sigh, frowning at the front door ahead of them. He stops on the path, a few feet from the door, and shuffles his shoes on the cement pathway nervously. 

“He's gonna be mad, right?”

Felicity stops beside him. Will’s taller than her now, almost head and shoulders with his Dad, so she pats him on the arm supportively. “In my experience, it's better to just face it head on, before he gets all _grrr face_.”

“That works?” Will questions with raised eyebrows. Because he’s never found that approach to be particularly successful. 

“Sometimes,” Felicity admits. Honestly, the success rate was pretty low, but it was better than the alternative.

Will sighs heavily. “Okay…can you maybe go first?” 

Felicity gives him a comforting smile. “Hon, I'd jump in front of a bullet for you...but you gotta face your Dad. Rip it off like a band-aid and you’ll save yourself a lot of pain.”

Will sighs and nods, wiping his sweaty palms on his jeans, and then shuffling his large feet up the small landing to the front door. But before he gets to open the door, it opens, and a stern looking Oliver dressed off-duty in jeans and a Henley, a tea towel slung over his shoulder, steps out. 

“Hey Dad,” Will says awkwardly and it prompts a grimace from his father. 

“Hey,” Oliver says, before dropping his hands to his hip. “You want to fill me in?” He asks in a stern but low voice, his eyes fixed on Will’s who dart away nervously. “I spoke to your Mom and you’re meant to be staying at Drew’s tonight after work…”

Will frowns and finally looks up to meet his Dad’s eye. 

“That was a lie,” he admits. “I screwed up. Chelsea and Steph invited us to their cousin AJ's party. Everyone had a few drinks….I had a few drinks. I wanted to leave but Drew had been drinking and my Uber is linked to Mom’s credit card and I just didn’t want to send her into panic mode… so I called Felicity. I asked her not to tell either of you until I figured out how to explain it. Felicity picked me up and we got ice cream...”

Oliver’s gaze shifts to Felicity, who up until this time, had been standing a few feet away, trying to appear as invisible as possible. “ _Ice cream_?”

Felicity makes a face at her husband. “That sounds bad,” she admits to Oliver stepping forward. “But Chelsea broke up with him….so it was _comfort_ food. _Not_ reward food. Just so we are clear. I was commiserating with Will, not celebrating his …. behavior.” 

Great, Felicity moans to herself. Now I’m also in the doghouse… 

Oliver gives her a look that says it all sounds the same to him and they should really talk about this approach, but he lets it go. 

“And Chelsea is the...brunette? The cheerleader?” Oliver asks them. And while Will’s been very excited about finally dating Chelsea, he hasn't been overly keen about the girl of his dreams meeting his complicated, and somewhat famous Queen family. Especially when everyone still refers to his Dad as Mayor Handsome, his Mom is a giant in the technology world, and his parents have a famous couple nickname like Brad and Angelina. Olicity. _Ugh_.

Will grimaces, so Felicity answers for him. She heads up the stairs to stand beside Oliver.

“That's Steph,” she corrects. “Chelsea is the red-head. And a little more… _space-campy_.”

Oliver gives Felicity a wry smile, before looking back to William. “Don't be fooled Bud, _those_ ones are trouble too. Trust me.” 

Felicity rolls her eyes at her husband and it seems to lighten his mood. Oliver heaves a frustrated sigh, looks at his feet for a moment considering his course of action, and then exhales loudly. 

"Okay. Shower and then bed. We can talk about punishment tomorrow,” he says, stepping away from the doorway to allow Will to enter. 

Will looks at him completely perplexed. 

“What? Really? Mom would be in full rant mode by now…” the boy splutters, and it earns him another stern look from Oliver. 

“Bud, you are _not_ off the hook…but we’ll talk tomorrow. When you’re sober, and not full of ice cream.” 

Will gives Felicity a look of bewilderment and then quickly hustles inside, old enough to know to never look a gift horse in the mouth. He hurries up the stairs to the second-storey landing and slightly clumsily kicks off his shoes as he hits the second floor so that his footsteps are quiet as he tiptoes past Zoe and Robbie’s rooms. 

Downstairs, Oliver ushers Felicity inside, his hand falling to the small of her back as she steps through the doorway. 

“Is this because of London?” He asks her in a low voice, closing the door behind them with one hand, the other still on her back.

She frowns, dropping her handbag on the nearby foyer table, and turns more into his embrace.

“I’d say it's a factor,” she whispers. “He asked if he could move in with us when Sam and Tim leave. He doesn't want to move back to London.” 

Oliver frowns and pulls her gently down the hallway through the living room and to the kitchen by the hand. Felicity takes a seat on one of the stools at the kitchen island bench, while Oliver turns on the kettle and discard the tea towel in the sink. He sighs heavily as he turns back to Felicity, his hip resting on the bench. 

"That's going to break Sam’s heart.”

Felicity nods, grimacing slightly. “I know,” she says earnestly, “but if he goes…that will break ours.” 

Oliver moves towards her, and she spins her stool around so that he can pull her into a hug. He presses his lips to hers softly, because even though he knows that Felicity has accepted Will into their family from the moment (perhaps even longer) William and Samantha walked back into their lives, it makes his heart both soar, and _sore_ to know she feels the exact same as him. Devastated to lose him. 

“He’s never been the slightest bit interested in alcohol before,” Oliver says after they break apart. “I mean, Tommy and I were drinking when we were _fourteen_ …Will is much too smart for that…”

Felicity winds her arms around his neck. “For what it’s worth, I don’t think he had _that_ much to drink. I think he was more upset about Chelsea.” She smiles at him and reaches up to rub her thumb between his eyebrows, and the crease of worry that’s settled there. Oliver relaxes a little, the very act making him feel so much better. She’s right. He’s worrying for very little reason. 

“Besides,” Felicity says, “what did _you_ do when we broke up?” 

Oliver smiles at her; gives her his Felicity smile that makes her still feel all sparkly whenever she sees it. 

“Brooded a little,” he admits. “And drank a shitload of vodka by myself and with John at the Bunker. I also looked at pictures and _videos_ of us on my phone…” he teases. 

She playfully presses her lips together. “There are, and never have been _those_ kinds of videos of us, Oliver.”

“Yet…,” he says waggling his eyebrow.

“Not on your life Mister,” Felicity laughs pulling out of his embrace as the kettle whistles. Oliver places one last kiss on her forehead and then moves away, fixing hot drinks for both of them. 

“What did Sam say?” Felicity asks, watching him heap some decaf into her cup, before settling on green tea for himself. 

Oliver grimaces; his conversation with Samantha on the phone had been frosty at best. She was livid with Will for a number of reasons, and she’d been livid that Oliver hadn't immediately wanted to string him up and punish him too. But, Oliver had insisted that they give Will time to cool off, and that Sam give them the chance to deal with this. 

“She’ll be over for dinner tomorrow,” Oliver tells her, looking back at her briefly, before stirring each drink, “to talk about particulars.” 

“Maybe your Chilli can work as a parlay? For _both_ of them.” Felicity tells him as he hands her her drink. He gestures to the sofa with a nod of his head, and she follows, trailing behind him. 

"One more thing happened tonight…” Felicity says as he lowers onto the sofa, and it peaks Oliver’s interest, his brow rising as he looks back up at her. 

“Over ice cream?” He teases, moving his coffee into the other hand so that he can settle his arm along the back of the sofa so she can sit close to him. 

“Will ask ed if he can call me Mom…” She tells him, moving into the crook of his arm, her left knee folded onto the couch. 

Oliver grins. He can’t believe it’s taken the kid this long to ask. “About time,” he says, stroking her arm tenderly with the back of his hand. 

Felicity bites her lip. “How do you think Sam will take it?” she asks, sipping at her decaf coffee.

“Honestly? _Terribly_. But, not for any reason that has to do with you. You know how Sam can be.”

“I make her insecure.”Felicity grimaces. “And I hate that. I’m not trying to _replace_ her…”

Oliver gives her a small smile, a genuine one, that tells her he knows. He can’t imagine Felicity ever wanting to purposely make anyone, let alone Samantha, feel like that. Those were Sam's issues.

“We’re going to have to approach this delicately with her,” he says. “I think she was hoping that if she came to us first, we might help her convince Will to go with her. But, the reality is, it’s only a temporary move for her. They are going back for 12 - 18 months _tops_. It’s not fair to uproot Will in his final year of school, especially when he’s deliberating on colleges. And, for the record, if Will wanted to go, I would support him going too. I wouldn’t _like_ it, but I’d support it.”

Felicity entwines her fingers with Oliver’s. “I guess we just have to trust that deep down Sam understands. He just wants to be close to the kids.”

Oliver frowns. “I think, honestly, that’s what she’s always feared. No matter how much Will loves her, that she can’t beat that. She never wanted more kids. And Will hated being an only child. When they came back to Star City, you and I were already married and Zoe was a newborn. We were already a family. We’ve always been inclusive of her,she’s part of our family too, but as our family has grown, she still feels like she is competing for Will’s love instead of realizing he has more love for her than anyone else. He just doesn’t want to be in London.”

“He’s her whole world,” Felicity reasons. 

“I know. And I feel guilty that he wants to stay with us,” Oliver says, scrubbing his hands across his face, “but I think this will be good for her.” He grimaces. “Sam was nineteen when we got pregnant and it took over her life. She gave up a lot to raise William by herself. This _could_ be an opportunity for her to finally create the life she wants now he’s old enough. Especially now she has Tim.” 

Felicity nods and squeezes his hand. “You’re right, but please understand that she might not see it that way.” 

Oliver gives her a tender look. “I know,” he says sadly, bowing his head, and Felicity moves closer, shifting the foot that was on the floor up and over the rise of Oliver’s knee. Oliver swaps his coffee to the other hand, and uses his now free hand to stroke her calf and ankle lying by his right knee. 

Felicity reaches up to rest her free hand on his cheek and instinctively Oliver brushes his lips across the inside of her wrist. 

“It’s not forever,” she tells him. “And that kid has the biggest heart. I just hope she can see this for what it is - an opportunity, not a competition over who William loves more.”

“Me too,” he agrees.

 

*

 

Felicity is half way through her morning coffee at the breakfast bar, reading her emails, when the back door opens and slams loudly, a proud looking Oliver and completely exhausted Will stepping through, both dripping with sweat. 

“How was your run?” Felicity asks brightly, cradling her cup of coffee, and Oliver beams back at her as he shrugs off his drenched hoodie. 

“Good,” he says at the same time Will groans loudly, his face peaky as he ducks around his father and heads for the kitchen sink, where he dry retches and coughs into it. Felicity gives Oliver a look of disgust, and the smile on his sweaty face broadens. 

“I am going back to bed,” Will grumbles swiping the sleeve of his hoodie across his face, and heading for the large refrigerator for another bottle of water. Oliver watches him with amusement, leaning nonchalantly on the kitchen bench.

“Nope,” Oliver says popping the p, and stopping Will in his tracks. “School.” 

The bewildered and peaky looking teenager frowns. “But Dad, I have study hall… I can _skip_ study hall…”

“Don’t care," Oliver tells him. “And, you can also take the bus.”

Will’s displeasure increases, his mouth hanging open.“Can’t you _drive_ me? Please? The bus smells like _feet_ …and you drive past Andrew’s Academy on the way to work…”

Oliver crosses his arms against his broad chest. “If you leave now, _you_ could walk….” Oliver teases, and William groans, pressing the cold bottle of water to his forehead. 

The last thing he can deal with right now is his Dad's sense of humor. Will blames Felicity. Surely it's Felicity. Everyone says it is, that before her, his sense of humor was almost non-existent. Will would really prefer that version of his Dad right now. The one that wasn't enjoying or adding additional torture to his hangover. 

“There is aspirin in the pantry,” Felicity tells Will sympathetically before he even has to ask. Thank god for Felicity. 

“Ughhh.” Will turns to his father, whose still grinning at him like a prize idiot. “You are enjoying this too much…” Will tells him, heading for the first aid drawer in the nearby pantry.

"Bud, we haven’t even _started_ ," Oliver calls after him. "You can, however, catch the bus to school and work for the next fortnight. Driving privileges have been revoked."

Will emerges from the pantry. "Seriously?" 

"Seriously. And, tonight you can come to the bunker after dinner and train with Uncle Roy and I." 

Will purses his lips. "Are you going to make me slap water?" He asks, feigning innocence and Felicity can't hold back her snort of laughter at the question. 

She quickly covers it by lifting her cup of coffee to her lips, but the damage is done and Oliver sends her a look that says she's far from helping right now, and don't encourage their son's sassy behavior. But, if he's honest, it's a pretty smart(ass) call from Will, and if he wasn't trying to punish him, he might even smile himself. 

"I am now," Oliver tells him and Will sighs. 

"Worth it," he grumbles and then with a gesture from Oliver that tells him he's free to go, Will leaves the kitchen, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hall and up the stairs to his room. 

Oliver pulls off his drenched running tee, and heads over to Felicity, grinning at her as he leans in for a kiss, one hand on the bench beside them, the other on her knee. 

"Mmmm coffee," he says licking his lips. "You're up early." 

"There is a fresh pot," Felicity tells him with a wide smile, pointing to the coffee machine. "I wanted to get some work done before the day starts," she tells him, pointing to the tablet she'd been reading emails on just moments before the boys arrived home. "I have a couple of updates from John and Thea we should talk about, but you have time to shower first." 

He smiles. "Where are the-"

Felicity shakes her head, pressing her index finger to Oliver's lips to silence him. "Don’t say the b word, the k word, or the c word. You know it conjures them. They have extra spidey senses that way. It's rare they sleep this long so I thought I’d give them another half hour of sleep before waking them up.”

Oliver chuckles. "The c word?" He asks tilting his head, and she rolls her eyes at him. 

"Children." Felicity frowns, realizing she's just walked right into it. " _Damn it_."

Oliver chuckles, pressing a kiss to her cheek before taking a step back. He takes in her more casual attire of jeans, a t shirt, bright orange blazer, and a pair of flats. She is certainly not dressed for QI. 

"You’re not going into the office today?" He asks, making his way over the coffee pot, and pouring himself a cup of black coffee. 

"Nope," she says with a smile. "I’m going to drop Zoe at _little school_ , Robbie at Mom's and then head into the clinic. Curtis wants some help with his presentation for The Board next week. Do you have any official feedback you want me to give Curtis about the knee? I'm sure he'd love to quote you in his presentation?" 

Oliver smiles at her as he takes a sip of his coffee. "I can run like I am seventeen again," he tells her proudly. "Or rather, I can _outrun_ a seventeen-year-old."

"A _hungover_ seventeen-year-old," Felicity corrects. 

"Still counts," Oliver tells her. 

Felicity smiles. "I'll be sure to pass on the feedback." 

"Thank you," Oliver says. He sneaks a look at his watch and frowns. "Okay, I have to get moving. I have an interview with Susan Williams this morning about the new Stadium we're building in the Glades." 

Felicity grins. "Tell her I said hi. _And_ to stop calling me. I'm not giving her a scoop on any new clinic developments. She can talk to Curtis." 

Oliver grins. "I'll be sure to pass on the message," he says happily, kissing her softly again as he passes, heading out of the kitchen and towards the hallway. 

"Oh and Oliver?" Felicity says, spinning on her stool to face him. 

Oliver stops and turns back. “Hmmm?” He asks as he takes another sip of his coffee. 

"Can you politely remind _Ms_ Williams how happily married you are? Just, you know, in case she's forgotten _again_." 

"I do every time,” Oliver grins. 

"Thank you, _honey_!” she calls after him in a singsong voice, a tone that gives him a certain swagger as he heads towards their bedroom to shower and change for work. 


	13. Home (June 2019)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> #13 Home (June 2019) Felicity and Oliver fall out after Felicity makes a move Oliver doesn't agree with.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Good things come to those who wait, right? I got distracted by the Premiere of Season 6, and the thought of all the amazing things that can happen this season - but we won’t see! If you feel the same, check out my new collection (Something) Just Like This a little ficlet collection filling in some silences from season 6.
> 
> Side note - it’s been bugging me for a while that I started writing and posting the initial chapters of this story after giving up on Arrow (temporarily) at 5x03.
> 
> I picked the name Zoe Queen without realising - because I was no longer watching the show and one of my favourite writers had just released a new book and her name was on my mind - that it was Rene’s daughter’s name. So, there, I’ve acknowledged it (even though no one has kindly said a thing) and hopefully now I can feel less silly everytime I write Zoe’s name because now you all know it was coincidence, not ignorance!

 

**When We Were Young**

**#13 Home (June 2019).**

“....what are the chances of dinner?” Thea asks Felicity with a wide grin, pulling off her leather gloves as she climbs the stairs up to the platform and towards her sister-in-law.

After a busy night running around chasing bad guys, she’s positively famished.

Felicity beams, spinning around in her chair to face Thea, four-week old baby Zoe secured to her chest in a grey stripped baby wrap. She greets John, Roy and Curtis with a wave each as their heavy boots thunder up the stairs behind Speedy.

“Favourable!” Felicity says brightly, as Thea leans over to coo at her sleeping newborn niece, gently running her fingers through Zoe’s head of super soft blond hair. “Oliver is on his way over now, his late meeting ran way over and...”

The elevator doors open on cue, and Curtis grins at his approaching leader as Oliver strides into the room.

“Speak of the Boss,” Curtis says with a grin peeling off his mask. “And he shall appear...”

Oliver gives the team a look of pride as he joins them on the platform. “Good job out there, really great work,” he tells them, before turning to Roy with an appreciatively smile. “It’s good to have you back. Nice suit.”

Roy nods, unable to hide his own smile. “It felt good to be out there again,” he admits, unzipping his new black and red jacket Cisco had made for Arsenal’s return (even if it is sporadic) to Star City. “Though admittedly being in the field with my girlfriend is a new.” He turns to Thea. “Are you part Ninja or what?”

Sure Roy’s seen her in the field before and during training, but he’s never actually been out in the field with her until now; it was amazing (and hot) watching her move with such precision.

The team laugh and Thea gives Roy an impish shrug. “My biological father and my brother were both members of the League of Assassins; I practically have Ninja blood.”

“Good thing there is no League of Assassins anymore,” Curtis teases. “Sounds like you’d make a good candidate for Leader,” he says earning a look of disgust from Thea and another laugh from the team.

Oliver leans over to give Felicity and Zoe a quick kiss, but he pulls away a little too quickly for Felicity’s liking and it instantly makes her feel uneasy. She eyes him carefully as he pulls away using the guise of admiring Roy’s new bow to cover it.

“It’s good to have our resident IT genius back too,” John says to Felicity but loud enough for the team to hear it.

“Here here,” Thea agrees.

“Best support in the biz, and I’ve worked with Team Flash,” Roy tells her with a waggle of his eyebrow making her blush.

“Thanks, guys. I was a little rusty...Curtis has done a couple of awesome upgrades so I was wrapping my head around those, but, otherwise, it was a nice easy night to make my return.”

She’d be lying if she said it wasn’t amazing to be back. Felicity had been away from Overwatch for nearly seven weeks and she’d found from the moment she’d put her earpiece in she'd had a relatively glitch-free night, even with a fussy newborn slung to her chest.

Curtis makes a fake coughing sound, reminding everyone in the most unsubtle way that they hadn’t yet thanked or praised him for his work as Overwatch while Felicity had been on forced (by Oliver and her doctor) maternity leave.

Thea cocks an eyebrow at Curtis, unable to hide her grin. “Really? Dude come on...”

Curtis frowns. “Well you know she’s not the only resident IT genius in the room...”

Felicity rolls her eyes at her friend but she doesn’t get a chance to reply as Oliver clears his throat, interrupting the conversation and drawings everyone’s attention back his way.

“Curtis, thank you for your help,” he says humbly inspiring a fist pump into the air from Curtis. Oliver purses his lips and Curtis has the decency to look bashful before Oliver continues with, “Can everyone give Felicity and I a moment please?”

The mood in the room changes, and suddenly everyone wants to scatter. Oliver is too calm, his mouth too tight-lipped for this to be good; something that doesn’t go unnoticed by Felicity who grimaces back at the team.

“I am going to go make that pizza order,” Thea says. “Roy, you want to help?”

Roy grins and wordlessly follows Thea down the stairs and away from the platform. Somethings never change, but he has, and watching Mom and Dad Arrow throw down in the bunker is certainly no longer his idea of fun.

“I am going to hit the showers,” John tells them scratching his head and disappearing quickly, taking the opposite set of stairs to Thea and Roy. John's had his fill of Felicity and Oliver tension too, especially throughout Felicity's pregnancy.

Curtis hesitates weighing up his options, and it prompts a raised eyebrow look from Oliver, and a pursed lip trying not to laugh smile from Felicity.

“Does it look odd if I say I want to hit the showers too-? You know because John already said it-?“ Curtis sucks in a deep breath. “You know what, it doesn’t matter, I am just going to go,” he says hurrying away too.

Felicity waits until the room is clear to get to her feet, her hand rubbing Zoe’s back as she faces Oliver.

“Bad day?” She asks reading his sullen expression.

Oliver shakes his head, hands on hips, and Felicity knows a fight is brewing.

“No, I had a good day actually, until I checked my voicemail and I had a message from Samantha Clayton.” He levels her with a look. “What the hell were you thinking Felicity?”

Felicity frowns and hugs Zoe close as she steps towards Oliver. She cocks her head in his direction trying to read his mood behind the angry frown on his lips, because sure, he’s livid, but is he relieved? Is he scared? Is he actually ecstatic she’d made the first move, got the ball rolling on bringing his son back to him after three years in hiding?

Felicity had made the bold move overnight to reach out to Samantha, using the information she’d gained from Lyla and ARGUS four months ago having traded her services for access to the last piece of the puzzle she’d needed to find Samantha and William.

That mission had ended in a somewhat similar confrontation between her and Oliver. When Felicity had told him that William and Samantha were safe in London, but with Zoe on the way it was time to reach out to them and bring them home, Oliver had panicked. He'd felt a surge of almost irreconcilable guilt for sending William away only to seemingly want him back in his life when his new baby was on the way. He’d asked Felicity for more time and had agreed they’d reach out together after Zoe was born.

But, Zoe was almost five weeks old and Oliver was still hesitating.  
Something Felicity had reminded him last night. But her suggestion that now was the right time had dissolved their conversation into another argument, one that this time instead of inspiring understanding, had actually prompted Felicity to reach out to Samantha herself (alone). She knew her move would land today, and she’d been on edge since Oliver had left for work this morning knowing that when it did land, and when Samantha finally returned their call, Felicity would more than likely have to this exact cranky version of her husband.

"I know you're angry with me-" Felicity tells him with a hushed whisper, "but I just got Zoe to sleep so please keep your voice down... and before you get even angrier at me…please consider that I did this for us, for you...not to you...”

Oliver frowns, staring down at her - she's positively tiny in flat shoes and dressed for comfort in a pair of white chucks, tight jeans and a pale pink jumper, but she looks even smaller with their tiny daughter wrapped to her chest.

"I am not mad Felicity. I am livid..." he says gruffly, his voice low, hand threading through his hair.

And he looks it. He's doing the best he can to keep his cool, trying to approach this as calmly as he can manage, but he's exhausted and wired and frustrated and hurt. And worried. And how could she do this without him...

Felicity grimaces and nervously pushes her glasses further up her nose, her ponytail bouncing a little as she looks up at him, almost craning her neck.

"I know you are livid, but-" Felicity steps forward, her fingertips pressing at his broad chest as she tries to approach this tenderly.

Oliver levels her with a look. “I can’t believe you did this."

His tone is full of… hurt and disappointment? Oh boy. That's not a good sign. In fact, that’s the exact opposite reaction she was hoping for.

Felicity hesitates, because, frack, this isn’t going to be a quick quiet conversation she can charm her way through by batting her eyelashes at him and reminding him at length she’d made the move because she loved him so much and wanted to give their family more. Because she knows it is too soon for those words and actions; she has to weather this anger and all. And even though she’d thought she’d been prepared to do that, he’s never looked at her the way he does now, full of rage and hurt. It is devastating.

Oliver takes a step back from her, letting her comforting touch fall away from his chest. She drops her hands to her side and sighs, swallowing back her tears. She’s all post-pregnancy hormones at the moment and this is only making it worse. Maybe she should have just persisted. Waited another few weeks until Zoe was older, until Oliver was more comfortable with being a Dad..

"I can't believe you went behind my back and reached out to Samantha," He laments in a low furious tone, scrubbing his hand across his jaw in frustration. “Felicity, she’s terrified that they have a bigger target on their backs now. That the floodgates are open for anyone who knows our secret - especially Malcolm who we both know is still out there somewhere biding his time like the megalomaniac he is - to exploit them. To hurt them. Again.”

His angry eyes bore down at her, and she's sure that without Zoe between them his voice would be loud and irate, and admittedly, so would her's…because why are they still fighting over this after all this time? They’ve gone around and around this conversation a hundred times. Especially when they had initially been on the same page and had wanted to bring Samantha and William home together…until Oliver had suddenly changed his mind, changed camps and put up an impenetrable wall around the issue.

"I didn't go behind your back," Felicity rationalises. "We talked about this, at length, for at least the last six months Oliver. You are the one that changed your mind-"

Oliver's eyes flash. "I didn't change my mind," he hisses. "I wanted more time..."

Felicity shakes her head. "No, you second-guessed yourself like you always do…and you decided without me, that you were just going to take more time. But, like always, I have more faith in you than you have in yourself," she says fiercely. "Oliver, it’s time Samantha and William came home…that you got to be with your son…”

Oliver shakes his head, blowing out a deep breath, his hands on his hips. He sighs and takes a moment, eyes cast to the floor because damn it, he doesn't want to be yelling at her, but he can't believe she did this. She moved their life together forward without him and it’s … terrifying.

"You had no right to do this without me," he protests, and she scoffs because she’s not going to hold all the blame especially when he’d made so many decisions in their past without her. Sending William away in the first place for one.

"I didn't do this without you Oliver," she says, her voice calm despite the wrinkle that befalls the space between her eyebrows. "I did this for you. For us. For Zoe. For William. They have a right to be in each other’s lives, and every day we wait pushes more time between them, between all of us.”

Oliver almost whimpers, her words lashing at him fiercely, and the guilt that crosses his face sends her emotions into overdrive. Felicity steps closer, grappling for his hand. This was meant to make him lighter and rid him of the guilt that had been eating at him over the past few weeks over being so happy and delighted to meet his daughter, though barely knowing his son.

"Honey, this was always our plan,” Felicity tries again. “This is the right thing to do and I know, deep down, despite all the insecurities you have about being a good father, about being the best father you can be to William, and to Zoe, that you want this. We decided this together."

Oliver's face colours with self-doubt, his anger dissipating, and it is a look she sees from time to time and one that sometimes is so devastating it can break her heart. Why doesn’t he ever see or understand the good that she sees in him?

"I am not ready-" Oliver agues, but Felicity shakes her head, and she presses her hand to his chest, his fingers coming up to tangle with hers.

"Yes, you are, Oliver. You are so perfect with Zoe..."

But she can feel it’s still not enough. Oliver gives her a tender look, one that would have shone with appreciation should her words had been more successful; but instead, it’s still full of insecurities and hurt, and Oliver heaves a long heavy sigh. He casts his eyes to the roof, looking away from his wife and daughter to gather his thoughts.

It's not enough, and the weight of it, the pressure, settles in his chest heavily, like he can't breathe…and he can't do this right now. He needs air. He needs space.

"Oliver?" Felicity asks nervously, and she steps closer to him, the fabric of the baby wrap and Zoe’s warm little body brushing against the fabric of his jacket.

Almost numbly, like it's already second nature, Oliver takes the moment to lean closer to his sleeping baby daughter and presses a kiss to her head softly, taking time to breathe in her scent, a mixture of baby powder and her mother’s scented moisturiser, before taking a step back.

"I need some air," he tells Felicity, wringing his hands together as he continues to move away from them. "I'll see you both at home."

Felicity exhales deeply as he walks away, her eyes squeezed shut as she tries to quell the overwhelming urge to be sick.

*

The lamp on Oliver’s nightstand is still on when Felicity wakes groggily and rolls towards his cold pillow.

She rubs her cheek against the soft high thread count light blue fabric, trying to take some deep breathes as she staves off her upset that it’s nearly three am and he’s not in bed beside her. She’d tried to stay awake, tried to wait up for him, but the moment she’d laid down in their bed, Zoe sleeping peacefully in the room next door her little picture staring back at Felicity from the video baby monitor on her nightstand, Felicity had passed out.

Felicity gingerly reaches for her glasses, sitting up to put them on and pushes back the covers of her bed. She exhales with relief when she realises Oliver’s phone is sitting beside her’s on her nightstand, the suit he’d worn today sitting neatly folded on the chair near the ensuite ready for dry-cleaning. She finds the hall light on, and instinctively heads for Zoe’s nursery, pushing open the door as quietly as she can.

Oliver looks up from the nursing chair beside Zoe’s crib. He’s dressed in sweats and a hoodie, one foot folded underneath him, his face relaxed as he watches their newborn daughter sleep.

Felicity hovers nervously in the doorway for a moment, before he motions for her to come closer.

“I didn't hear you come in,” she says to him as she tiptoes closer, her voice barely above a whisper.

Oliver gives her smile, patting his knee, prompting her to slide into his lap, her legs dropped over the opposite armrest, one arm around his neck. He nuzzles into her, saying, “You were asleep, I didn't want to wake you,” as he presses a kiss to her collarbone tenderly. “I love her so much already,” he tells Felicity with awe, and she can’t help but beam back at him.

“It's crazy, right?” she says, snuggling in closer to him, and he wraps an arm around her waist so she doesn’t tumble from his knee onto the floor. “Like your heart feels twice the size than it used to? And it just keeps getting bigger and bigger every day.”

He gives a soft laugh, because she’s completely right, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. He reaches up to palm her pillow creased cheek, before pressing his lips to hers softly in a tender loving kiss.

“I missed her so much today. And I can't miss any more of William’s life because I’m scared of screwing up. I have missed so much of his life already; maybe too much... what if I am too late-?"

Felicity answers his question with another chaste but comforting kiss, her forehead resting against his. “Oliver, the only thing that matters is that we bring them home.”

Oliver considers her for a moment, before nodding, his eyes closing briefly as he heaves a sigh and tells her, “You’re right. I’m sorry for how I spoke to you at the bunker. I was angry and rude and…”

“Oliver,” Felicity says softly, cupping his stubbly cheeks against her palm, “I understand.”

He gives her an appreciative smile, tracing her bottom lip with his thumb, before leaning in for a more passionate, more them, kiss. When they break apart, Felicity shuffles a little, making herself more comfortable, and winds her arm around Oliver’s shoulder again, resting her head against his. He holds her tightly, and they lose themselves for minutes, just watching the tiny little human they made together sleep.

“God, she's beautiful,” he tells her, his voice once again full of awe. And the sound, the words, him in this moment, it’s so loving. “Just like you.”

“But she’s got your juicy lips,” she tells him with a wink. “She’ll have boys all over Star City lusting after Zoe Queen.”

Oliver laughs again. “Let them try,” he says, “but they’ll have her Dad and big brother to answer to.”

Felicity smiles at him, her fingertips carding through his hair. “The best protectors our little girl could ever hope for.”

*

**Five days later.**

The sun is hot as it beams down on them, two figures standing by a black SUV on the private tarmac of Star City Airport, waiting for the doors to the private jet that had just landed before them to lower.

“You need to breathe Oliver,” Felicity reminds him, her voice washing over him.

He sucks in some air, unaware he’d been holding his breath until she’d pointed it out, and squeezes her hand tightly.

“Don't let go...” he tells her in an almost strangled voice, the lump in his throat bobbing uncomfortably, forcing him to clear his throat uneasily.

“I will be right here like always.”

The door opens, revealing the slim aeroplane steps and to both of their surprise, a tall dark haired thirteen-year-old boy, backpack slung over one shoulder, and a skateboard tucked in the opposite hand.

“He's so big,” Felicity breathes because oh my god, he’s here and he’s at least as tall if not taller than her already. And wow, if he doesn’t look like a dark haired mini version of Oliver...

“Yeah,” Oliver chokes. And then Samantha, who looks completely the same as the last time they’d seen her, appears, leading both her and William down the stairs and to the tarmac.

Samantha’s guard is up immediately. Felicity notes the moment Samantha’s heeled boot hits solid ground, her spine lengthens, her shoulders square and the grip on her handbag tightens. She looks formidable, but as she eyes them carefully on her approach, sees the way Oliver clutches so desperately at Felicity, her manner softens. They weren’t just summoning her back like she’d thought; they actually want this, both of them in their lives. They’d told her that via video chat, but she hadn’t believed it until she’s seen it etched on their faces in person.

William stands beside her, his presence a mixture of emotions. He taps his fingers on the grip of his skateboard anxiously, and his bottom lip is sucked in between his teeth like he’s been told to bide his time, hang back until Samantha tells him it’s okay. But he looks...excited?

“Sam, thank you,” Oliver breathes, moving forward to greet her.

Samantha studies him for a moment, taking him in, and the desperately genuine look he gives her has her softening a little more.

She nods to him before she places her hand on William’s shoulder ushering him forward.

“William, you remember Oliver...your Dad...And this is Felicity...Oliver’s wife. She’s your Stepmom.”

“Hey Oliver,” William says with a wave, his voice deeper than Felicity expects. He steps forward, hesitating for a moment, and then he holds a hand out for Oliver to shake.

Oliver takes it, huffing a small nervous laugh. “Hi.”

William then turns to Felicity to shake her hand too. “Hi Felicity, it’s nice to meet you.”

She smiles. “Hey William, It’s nice to finally meet you.”

“Mum said you have a baby?” William asks, his excitement shining through. “A girl?”

Oliver nods and smiles. “Zoe. Your little sister.”

“Where is she?” Will asks eagerly and it bolsters Oliver’s happiness.

“She's at home,” he tells his son, “with her grandparents and aunt waiting to meet you.”

William’s brow knits. “I thought your parents were dead?”

Oliver huffs another surprised laugh, while behind him, Samantha covers her embarrassed face with her hand.

“William-“

“It’s fine,” Oliver tells her. “They are. It’s actually Felicity's Mom and her husband.”

“Cool,” William says. “My other grandparents die when I was seven and I’ve always wished I’d spent more time with them…”

Samantha’s mortification intensifies but Felicity gives her a smile that’s actually incredibly reassuring.

“Well, you're in for a treat,” Oliver tells William with a laugh, “Felicity’s Mom is very excited to meet you.“

“Mom is very excited to meet both of you too,” Felicity adds, before clapping her hands together. “Should we get going?” She asks brightly and then catches Samantha’s eye. “There is some wine back at the house and I think that might help take the edge off...things.”

Samantha breathes a sigh of relief. “Yes, please.”

Oliver makes quick work of grabbing Samantha and William’s luggage from the flight attendant, while Felicity leads Samantha and William to the SUV, popping open the trunk with the button on her key.

“Thank you for sending the jet,” Samantha says to Felicity while William helps his father loads the bags into the trunk.

Felicity gives her a kind smile. “We wanted you to be comfortable. It’s a long flight.”

“Well, we appreciate it,” Samantha tells her. “Seriously. We’ve never flown privately before.”

“It was really cool!” William chimes in as his Dad closes the trunk.

Oliver appears at Felicity’s elbow with a smile directed at Samantha and William. “Until you get settled you are welcome to stay with us. We have plenty of room at the house. Or we have a two bedroom suite at the W downtown if you’d feel more comfortable in a hotel?”

Samantha had planned for them to stay in a hotel, so she’s a little surprised that Oliver and Felicity are opening her home to her. It feels odd and strangely okay at the same time, and while she struggles to process the offer (because wouldn’t it be weird?), William taps her on the shoulder.

“Mom, can we stay with them? Please?”

Samantha’s hesitation doesn’t go unnoticed by Oliver or Felicity, and while Oliver immediately fears like they’ve overstepped their mark, Felicity pushes on charmingly.

“At least for tonight?” She offers.

Even though they are both being incredibly gracious and welcoming, Samantha couldn't help feel that adjusting to this, the art of co-parenting, might take a lifetime. She gives them a thankful smile, but she can’t let herself accept it. She needs some control here, and a hotel room is a neutral territory.

“Let me think about it,” she tells William, who immediately looks deflated. “It's not a no,” Samantha tells Oliver and Felicity in turn, “I just...”

“This is overwhelming,” Oliver supplies with a small smile. “We understand. Whatever you feel most comfortable with. The offer is open even if you decide you don’t want to stay tonight.” Oliver opens the car door for Samantha, and she gives him an appreciative smile before she slides into her seat, but William hesitates.

“What do I call you?” He asks, cocking his head at Oliver.

Oliver smiles, his eyes catching Samantha’s as she peers out at them from the backseat.

“Erm, I mean, Oliver is fine...”

“Not Dad?” William blinks and Oliver stuffs his hands into his pockets.

“That's really up to you Will. I would like it if you called me Dad, but I understand if you don't want to.”

Will smiles. “I’m good with Dad,” he tells Oliver with a smile before ducking his head and sliding into the rear seat beside his mother.

Oliver closes the door and turns to Felicity who gives him a rallying look - you did amazingly.

  
*

“I think it might be time to call it a night,” Samantha says with a polite smile, placing her wine glass down on the long marble kitchen bench, in front of where Oliver and Felicity had been standing discussing Zoe’s routine together, watching as the young infant had begun to stir on the baby Monitor clutched in Felicity’s hand.

As if on cue, Zoe gives a cry and Felicity grimaces at Oliver.

“Kid has impeccable timing,” Felicity says with a bright smile to her husband placing the baby monitor down on the counter in front of them. Felicity turns to Samantha. “If you need anything at all during the night please sing out,” she tells the older woman kindly.

Samantha smiles graciously in reply. Felicity can’t do enough to make her feel at home and while it should feel strange, it’s actually really lovely, which is a relief given their strange family dynamic.

“Thank you, Felicity. And thank you again for letting us stay.”

“It’s our pleasure, really.”

Felicity gives both Oliver and Samantha a happy little smile in turn and leaves the kitchen, waving hello to William who moseys into the room in clean sweatpants, a t-shirt and a grin, having just showered in the guest bathroom.

“Goodnight Felicity,” he says brightly returning her wave.

“Goodnight Will, see you in the morning,” Felicity tells him briefing stopping to pat his arm affectionately before heading for the staircase for upstairs and Zoe’s room.

“Find everything okay?” Oliver asks William, and his son replies with a bright smile.

“Yeah, thanks, Dad.” The term rolls off William’s tongue easily, but the weight of it catches in Oliver’s chest. “I thought I would come say goodnight.” He gives Samantha a big heartwarming hug, kissing her on the cheek before turning to Oliver, his arms wide.

Oliver, very much a non-hugger hesitates; not because he doesn’t want to hug his son, because he seriously does, so badly, but because he’s unsure if it’s okay. His gaze darts to Samantha anxiously and she gives him a nod of encouragement. And it’s all Oliver needs; it puts the last vestiges of worry about being a Dad to William at peace. He gladly turns to Will and steps into the teenager's embrace, placing a kiss on top of the boys head.

Their embrace lingers, and Oliver is pretty sure that he hears William sniffle. Samantha looks away, wiping a tear from her cheek and it suddenly occurs to Oliver that this is really his first proper moment with his boy. They’d talked at dinner about all manner of things, Will’s love for sports, his memory of his father’s rescue as Green Arrow, about his Dad and Stepmom’s private and public lives. In fact, very little had been off limits because Oliver had wanted to be as transparent as possible after a lifetime of secrets and excuses. And surprisingly, Samantha had agreed; their lives had to be open books if they were going to make this work.

Oliver’s arms wrap around Will more protectively, and the boy hugs back burying his face in his Dad’s shirt. He doesn’t smell like Will imagined, the way some nights he would lie in bed and think about his father, both before and after he knew his identity, his mind traversing all the good and bad things he could be. But in reality, his Dad, Oliver Queen, the confident politician he’d watched news clips and searched press photos of on the internet after his Mom had told him the truth, was different. He was kinder, happier, more nervous, more thoughtful. He was better, he was a hundred times better than Will imagined. He’s been warned that his Dad wasn’t particularly upstanding when he was younger, but everything Will saw, the way Felicity - possibly the kindest Stepmom a kid could ask for - loved his Dad must mean Oliver Queen was actually a good guy.

Samantha rubs William’s back tenderly.

“Sweetheart, why don’t you head off to bed? I’d like to talk to your Dad.“

Will reluctantly agrees but he goes without protest, kissing his Mom again before heading for the bedroom Felicity had shown him to earlier.

And then it’s just Samantha and Oliver in the kitchen, Oliver’s hands leaning on the marble countertop searching for the right words to thank Samantha for uprooting her life again.

“Damn it, you’re a natural,” Sam tells him with a smile, and it makes Oliver chuckle because he doesn’t have the faintest clue what he is doing. “This house...your family...it is truly beautiful Oliver. I’m glad you and Felicity found your way back to each other. She’s good for you.”

Oliver frowns; and while her words are nice, it reminds him that they hadn’t exactly parted on the best of terms before Sam and Will had left the country.

“Sam, I am sorry for how we left things a couple of years ago. I'm sorry that I forced you into hiding...that you uprooted your life twice for me…”

Samantha grimaces. And sure, she’d hated him for a long time, but the reality was, sending them away, helping them get out of the country, it had saved their boy. And, yeah, okay their boy hadn’t really been in trouble until Oliver had walked back into their lives…but, Oliver had sacrificed a lot when he’d helped them disappear.

“It was my choice to go to London Oliver. You just made it easier to leave,” She tells him graciously.

“I still regret it,” Oliver tells her. “I could have had the last three years getting to know him. And he’s a great kid…but I don’t know how to parent a teenager…I have a four-week-old baby…”

Samantha hikes her chin a little and smiles at him confidently. “I don’t regret a thing. Oliver, you weren't ready to be a father three years ago, or thirteen years ago. But you are now. And it's going to knock you off your feet nine times out of ten, and all the strategy and political prowess in the world won't prepare you for trying to negotiate with a teenager, but, you can do this. I need you to be able to do this. Please don't let him down. Please don't let me down.”

Oliver swallows thickly. “I won't Sam. I am all in...Felicity and I both are.”


	14. Parenthood (July 2022)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parenthood (July 2022) Oliver gives Thea some sage parenting advice prior to Speedy Jr's arrival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The way Thea left Arrow was crap, and I needed a Thea and Oliver chapter. I'm on a writing roll at the moment, but editing is a bitch. So apologies in advance for the atrocious edit. Just pretend the errors aren't there.

**Chapter 14: Parenthood (July 2022)**

"Looks like you have a little Picasso on your hands," Thea grins, nudging at Felicity and pointing to little Zoe, who is standing a couple of meters away, energetically painting (more like messy colouring in) a series of big white clouds on the walls of Speedy Jr’s nursery.

Sure, there are little white fingerprints littering the light sky blue mural background, and the cloud looks a lot fluffier and erratic not wholly contained by the thick black outlines Thea had drawn for the three of them to paint inside, but Zoe was enjoying herself, and she was taking her role as painter very seriously. Especially as this was the first 'girls day' she'd spent with her doting Mom and Aunt since little baby brother Robbie was born. And it would probably be the last, before her new little cousin, who Zoe was very excited to meet, joined the family.

Felicity smiles warmly back at Thea, her own painting paused momentarily and her pride swelling a little as she takes a moment to watch Zoe's little tongue poke out between her teeth, concentrating hard on the working the big blobs of paint on the end of her brush onto the wall. It had been a spontaneous idea Thea had had last night after she'd finished drawing the clouds, hot air balloon and aeroplane on the nursery wall. She'd been trying to keep herself busy, stuck in that awkward period between starting maternity leave, and waiting for the baby to arrive, and being home alone (with everyone on standby) while Roy finished up some ARGUS business in DC in Lyla's stead, who was currently overseas in an undisclosed location, doing god knows what in person, given Roy was grounded stateside for the next four months.

Yep. Speedy Jr wasn't due for another five weeks, and while Thea had been hoping to work right up until...well labour really because what else was she meant to do...last Monday Felicity had walked into her office with an iced tea, a muffin and a look that said the madness of Thea running around like an energiser bunny with a beach ball shoved up her dress was over.

_"You've got to stop this; you are driving everyone crazy,"Felicity had told her kindly, holding out the iced tea, which Thea had taken, a puzzled and quizzical look on her face. "You can't do the work of ten PR Advisors Thea, it's not practical, you have to let go. You can't micromanage every single decision in this department. You have to let you team do their jobs without you creeping over their shoulder constantly. It's time you went maternity leave."_

_Thea, who had been doing a fucking stellar job as Queen Consolidated's Director of Public Relations over the past eighteen months, had gone from hard-ass and overachieving, a Director that gave her staff autonomy but expected grand things in return, to nearly unbearably and unreasonably hands on, forcing every single decision to go through her, everything from top level fate of the company PR decisions, to department lunch time schedules. (Yep.) It was time Thea took a step back, put her out of office responder on and went home to put her feet up for a bit before her and Roy's first baby, a little boy, arrived._

_Felicity had been prepared for Thea to put up a fight. She'd planned and rehearsed her little tete-a-tete with Oliver over and over in the shower that morning, and he'd played the part of Thea dutifully; but, to her surprise, Thea had dropped silently into the tan leather Eames desk chair, frowned, and slipped the straw of the ice tea between her red painted lips. She sipped at her drink for a long contemplative moment, leaving Felicity standing on the other side of her desk, anxiously awaiting her response, shifting her weight from patent nude peep toe to patent nude peep toe._

_Oliver and Roy had given Thea the same ultimatum about five months earlier, convincing her to retire from the field just a week or two after her positive pregnancy test had been confirmed. Though while it was practical for both mother and baby to be in the bunker and away from fighting bad guys, Thea had struggled to find her place in the team away from her bow. And now Felicity was telling her she couldn't be in the office?_

_"That better be double chocolate chip," Thea had said pointing to the bakery bag with outstretched wiggling fingers, the universal pregnant woman signal that moving is impossible so help is implied._

_Felicity had grinned, pushing the muffin across the desk. "Triple chocolate chip," Felicity had assured her. "Freshly baked and still warm."_

_Thea had opened the bag and sniffed at it, groaning a little. God the muffins at Davis' were fucking incredible. And they were also her weakness._

_"Steph's the best," Thea had finally replied, breaking off some muffin and popping it in her mouth. "She's got a handle on everything. You won't even know I am gone."_

_Felicity had grinned. "My favourite part about Steph covering your maternity leave is that it is incredibly unlikely that Steph will walk unexpectedly into my office in a flurry of cuss words, aimed at either my husband or yours, with such intensity that it would make the likes of Bruce Wayne blush."_

_Thea shrugged, not caring in the slightest. Bruce was a baby. And he'd never really got over the fact that she'd (repeatedly) rejected his date proposal...he'd even asked her on a date the last time he'd visited five months ago, despite attending her wedding and listening to her story over lunch about the wicked heartburn her one daily (decaf) coffee produced now she was pregnant. Yep, Bruce Wayne was a charmer._

_"Fine," Thea conceded, and the easiness of it had Felicity feeling like maybe she'd walked into a trap. "But what am I going to do for the next few weeks?"_

_"Nest. Wear overalls -" Thea pulled a face (what was this, the 90s?) at the suggestion, and Felicity's grin brightened, "trust me, overalls are the freaking bomb when you are too round for everyday clothing and yoga leggings won't go over your crazy large belly. You could find a short term hobby or help Mom with the new collection for the store - I know she’s desperate for some ideas..?" Felicity had suggested._

And, one week later, maternity lingerie concept clearly ignored, here they were, new hobby and all.

Thea had taken Felicity's advice on the overalls - they were actually fucking brilliant, even though Roy had made a face that had told her in no uncertain terms that once the baby was born, the overalls were going to Goodwill (or a fire pit) - and the nesting. And, frankly, Thea wasn't sure why she hadn't gone on maternity leave sooner. Like, in month two or three, and then spent six months nesting and resting, catching up on Ellen and emailing her brother new recipes she wanted him to make for her.

"She's really loving art at the moment," Felicity says with a smile to Thea. "Which, must come from your Mom’s side of the genes, as Oliver and I don't have an artistic bone in our body, outside of science, tech and weapons. You're the artistic one."

Thea laughs. "Maybe, that's true," she says proudly, watching Zoe carefully, the blonde little four year old making her Momma heart swell. "But that look of fierce concentration-thankfully without the scowl that is so obviously my brother-that's all you.”

Felicity smiles. "You think? I see so much of Oliver in her. Robbie is like me though the poor little guy. I hope he’s not as clumsy as me, or we’re in trouble.”

Thea laughs, her amusement ringing off the walls.

“Hello? Anyone home?” Oliver calls pushing open the heavy wooden front door and pulling his spare key to Thea and Roy’s place from the lock. He expertly juggles the cooler bag of freshly homemade meals for Thea in one hand and his seven month old son on the opposite hip, stepping inside the house and closing the front door.

He hears a squeal of delight down the hall from Zoe as she comes barrelling down the adjacent hallway leading to the study, baby’s room and master bedroom with a delighted “Daddy!” and a storm of bare feet on polished floorboards.

Oliver quickly lowers the cooler bag to the ground and catches Zoe in his embrace, crouching down to hug her close, her tiny arms wrapped around his neck tightly.

“Hey munchkin,” he beams as he squeezes her tightly, and Robbie’s eyes light up happily, his tantrum about having to get out of the car soon forgotten as he recognises his adorable and doting big sister. She smothers them both in kisses-a move she’s witnessed countless times from her mother-producing a little giggle from Robbie. But in the flurry of kisses, it takes far too long for Oliver to realise her tiny little hands are covered in wet white paint, and she’s accidentally smeared some across not only her own forearm and Robbie’s cheek, but also left little fingerprints across the arms of his henley.

“Munchkin honey, Where’s Momma and Aunt Thea...?” Oliver asks gently (and slightly concerned) because her paint covered hands spell mischief in his experience…

“We’re in the baby’s room!” Thea calls from two rooms over with a roll of her eyes, grinning at Felicity as she tries to shout loud enough for Oliver to hear from the entryway. She’s far too comfortable sitting on the floor where she’s been sun-baking in the large open bay window while she lazily paints the stretch of wall under the windowsill in the bright early afternoon sun. Her large belly is round in Felicity’s hand me down jean short maternity overalls and an oversized old vote Queen campaign t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up high on her shoulders.

A minute or so later, Oliver appears in the sunny nursery doorway, a child on each hip and prompting Felicity, who’d been painting the adjacent wall to the door in a bright sky blue with a long handled roller, to stop and grin at him happily giving him a little wink hello. She’s got a strip of blue paint on her own cheek and flecks on her black yoga pants and his old grey v-neck tshirt she’d tied in a knot at her hip, the same bright aqua fabric headband as Zoe tied in a bow around her head trying to keep paint out of their blonde hair.

“Momma, Daddy’s here!” Zoe tells her excitedly, prompting a laugh from each of her parents, as Oliver steps further into the room to kiss Felicity hello softly.

As their kiss breaks quickly, their kiss a little awkward with both kidlets smooshed between them, Felicity pulls Oliver back for another by the neck of his Henley, this one a little slower, as she gently cups his cheeks.

“I can see that,” Felicity tells the four year old brightly afterwards, winking again at Oliver before playfully bopping the four year old’s nose and pulling Zoe onto her own hip. Her brow knits when Oliver wordlessly points to the fingerprints of paint on his sleeve, and Felicity frowns a little, examining her daughter’s hands carefully.

“Zozo, remember what I said about wet paint? You have to be careful not to get paint all over Daddy or Aunt Thea’s house. Did you touch anything else?”

Zoe’s brow knits and she shakes her head, splaying her hands out palms up for a minute before rubbing them together trying to clean up. “I’m sorry Momma…the cloud was really fluffy,” she admits, before pointing at her handiwork and the large low to the ground clouds Thea had drawn on the wall for Zoe to help paint. “Daddy look, this one is mine,” Zoe says, pointing more animately at her handiwork, before squirming a little in her Mom’s embrace, prompting Felicity to put her down. Zoe’s hand is in Oliver’s instantly and she’s dragging him and Robbie over to inspect the rather disheveled cloud. “Doesn’t it look cool?”

Oliver chuckles, his pride for Zoe’s work swelling in his chest a little. “It looks very cool honey, great job.” Oliver’s eye travel the room, his head on a swivel as he evaluates the sky blue room, and the large mural Thea had traced onto the walls. “Wow, Speedy, this looks amazing.”

Thea had really gone all out, drawing a sky scene with clouds and hot air balloons on the large wall the nursery shared with Roy and Thea’s bedroom. The nesting obsession Thea had developed had really taken hold.

The mural on the far wall is mostly finished now, except for Zoe’s part, which is painting two lower clouds in thick messy and uneven fluffy strokes. Zoe had been delighted to help paint the mural for her little soon to be born cousin, and the process, has been undeniably the most adorable thing Thea has ever seen.

“Thank you,” Thea beams proudly, casting her own look around the room. “It’s coming along nicely...” she makes a gesture at Felicity to help her up, and Felicity obliges, heading over to Thea to take her outstretched hands and pull her up onto her feet.

“What time is Roy due back from DC today?” Oliver asks Thea while Felicity steps closer him to grab Robbie out of Oliver’s embrace for her own hug.

There is an uncomfortable silence, and Felicity is still cooing at Robbie, spidering her fingers playfully on his belly, making him giggle, when she discretely catches Oliver’s eye and gives him a look that says she wishes he hadn’t asked. Oliver hesitates, knowing the look Felicity’s giving him means bad news.

Thea frowns, shifting her weight from foot to foot anxiously as she meets her brother’s eye and hikes her chin high. “He’s not actually. He called me this morning and his stay in DC has been extended. Lyla’s stuck in Australia for a few more days-“ Oliver gives Thea a sympathetic frown, “-and he couldn’t tell me why- _classified_ apparently _-_ but until Lyla is stateside, Roy has to be in DC with The President.” Thea sighs. “I know I should be proud that my husband is the Deputy Director of ARGUS, but...Roy’s spent more time at the White House over the past two months, than with me. And I _am_ carrying his baby.”

The conversation had been a heated one between Roy and Thea, and even though Felicity and Zoe had stepped out for a donut run to give Thea some privacy on the phone, Felicity had seen the compete sadness in Thea’s eyes when the news had hit. She was missing Roy terribly. The last year had been hard on them, with his work with ARGUS pulling him away from Thea for larger and longer periods of time despite her pregnancy. He knew once their unplanned, yet delightful little baby was born, he’d have to take a step back from ARGUS missions for a while; but until then, he had a government agency to run in his boss’ absence.

“Anyway,” Thea begins, not so subtly changing the conversation, but needing to before her emotions spike.“Ollie, did you bring meals? I have been thinking about your pumpkin spaghetti all day.”

Oliver nods and grins, thankful for the change in conversation, and stashes his hands in his pockets. “I did bring the spaghetti, and I made another couple of meals for you - all vegan friendly - to get you through the next few days. All you have to do is pop them in the microwave for two to three minutes.”

“Thank you,” Thea sighs in relief. “I know I sound crazy, but the thought of meat at the moment-“ she gags a little at the thought of the smell of cooked meat, an affliction that has taken over her previously carnivore body over the last couple of weeks. She’s not sure where it came from, or why it had developed so late in her pregnancy give she was due in six weeks, but it had certainly thrown a spanner in the works.

Oliver shrugs. “I have worked with some pretty peculiar cravings over the years,” Oliver tells her with a smile, one that earns him an eye roll from his wife as she bounces their youngest son on her hip. Felicity had requested some pretty insane flavour combinations through both of her pregnancies, some of which had tortured her doting husband to no end. “I can work with tofu. There isn’t a lot I can do with a pickle juice and banana milkshakes.”

Thea mimics gagging a little again, but Felicity shrugs. “You two drink kombucha, so whatever,” she smiles at Thea, before directing her attention to Robbie, his little arms wrapped around her neck. “Did you have a nice boys day with Dadda?”

Oliver smiles as Robbie, his pacifier twitching as he laughs at his Mom when she jostles him playfully.

“We did didn’t we Rob? We went for a run, went to the market and tried to pick up the middle aged cashier by flashing our baby blues-“ Felicity hikes an eyebrow, “-his not mine,” he continues, “and then we had a nap in the car on the drive home. We had a bottle while Dad ready his emails and then played some blocks and wrecked havoc on the living room. Also, Barry stopped by to drop off the invite for the twins first birthday...I have one for you guys too,” he directs to Thea, “it’s its in the front pocket of the cooler...”

Thea‘s nose scrunches. “Is it superhero themed? Because I hate when Cisco talks Barry into that stuff. And our last team up was like two months ago. And my suit definitely doesn’t fit. I don’t want it explain how I know that. It’s too raw.”

Oliver laughs and Thea’s reaction prompts a grin from Felicity. “It’s jungle themed right?” Felicity answers with a quick glance at Oliver, who frankly had a much too long conversation with the proud younger father about the theme of his twin’s first birthday party. “I only know because Iris and I talked about getting green-“ Oliver grins cockily back at both women, and Thea rolls her eyes. “-tutus for the girls,” Felicity finishes.

“Green for the jungle Ollie,” Thea chides at the smug grin on her Brother’s face. “Not for the Green Arrow.”

Oliver waggles his eyes brows. “Same green, going to take it all the same. Munchkin, honey,” Oliver says turning towards Zoe, prompting her to look up from her cloud she’d returned to painting, “can you finish up your cloud, as we’ve got a play date with JJ…”

“You mean you and John are having a couple of beers and watching sports on his flatscreen?” Felicity teases, while Thea helps Zoe finish up, and wipes her hands clean with a rag she’d had stashed into the front pocket of her overalls.

“Well…yeah,” Oliver concedes. “Is that okay? I figured you had that Women In Tech thing this afternoon, and John’s going a bit stir crazy with Sara, JJ and Mackenzie.”

“Just make sure Robbie doesn’t sleep all afternoon…”

“Or he’ll be up all night. Yeah honey, I know. We have snacks and toys in the diaper bag in the car.” Oliver moves forward to take Robbie, settling the boy on his hip. “We got this don’t we Rob?” 

“What about Will?”

Oliver rolls his eyes. “He’s at home in the middle of a PS6 marathon with Tim and Brian. Sam is on nightshift tonight and she’s sleeping so they’ve taken over our place instead. That’s partly why we’re heading to John’s…”

Thea and Felicity laugh. 

“Okay, well, let me walk you out!” Felicity says, looping her arm in Oliver’s and pushing up on tiptoes to give him a soft, quick side kiss. “I’ll be back soon,” Felicity says to Thea, taking hold of Zoe’s now clean hands. “Munchkin honey, say bye to Auntie Thea.”

Zoe gives her Aunt a big blinding smile and a wave, before she breaks away from her Mom and runs forward to hug Thea. “Bye Auntie Tia, bye baby. Love you to the moon and back,” she tells them, as she tells them every time they say their goodbyes. 

“Love you too munchkin,” Thea waves happily as the little family head out of the nursery and down the hallway.

They don’t say much on the walk to the car, Felicity waiting until both kids are strapped into Oliver’s SUV and the doors are shut to comment on the Thea/Roy situation.

“She was really upset earlier,” Felicity says, arms folded against her chest, chewing nervously on her bottom lip. “I wish I didn’t have to go to this event this afternoon, or that you were free. I don’t want the leave her alone right now.”

Oliver smiles warmly at his cherished wife and steps closer lowering his voice tenderly. “I am only going to be at John’s for a couple of hours. Three or four tops. I will check on Thea on my way home.” Oliver brushes some wayward hair behind Felicity’s ear. “Thank you for being here for her. I know it means a lot to her.”

Felicity smiles as she winds her arms around Oliver’s shoulders. “Well, I am much better at painting walls than you.”

“That is 100% untrue,” he tells her, kissing her softly. “I recall I painted the entire house singlehandedly before we moved in.”

Felicity nudges his chest with her index finger.

“Yeah because I was seven months pregnant, the paint fumes made me nauseous and you fired the contractor because you thought he was flirting with me.”

“He was flirting with you.”

“I was seven months pregnant with your daughter.”

“He didn’t care.”

“He was being friendly. He wanted a tip. And you hated that he preferred my paint choice.”

Oliver sighs and pouts a little and it’s too damn cute for Felicity not to smile. “And you got your Whisper White remember? I can’t believe we’re still arguing about this four years later; we’ve digressed,” he says as his smart watch beeps. “And I am late.” He kisses Felicity softly again, and again, prompting a giggle from her as he steps away and sweeps her back for a third loving kiss, his arm around her hip. “Good luck with your speech baby. Knock ‘em dead,” he says with a wink, before letting her go and heading for the driver’s seat.

He powers down Zoe’s window so she can wave goodbye as he pulls out of the driveway, and then they are off, heading down the street.

Felicity heads back inside to find Thea waiting for one of Oliver’s meals in the microwave, having stacked the others into the freezer. Her shoulders have slumped as she watches her meal circle around, and her mood significantly lower than before.

The invite for the Allen twins birthday is on the fridge, taking pride of place next to the Queen/Jackson/Lance holiday photo from last year, a candid shot of Thea and Roy that had been taken at their wedding andSpeedy Jr's last sonogram.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come this afternoon?” Felicity asks again as Thea closes the door to the fridge. “We still have a spare seat at the table and I have a couple of more dressy event maternity dresses that would look amazing on you.”

Thea smiles appreciatively, but she couldn’t think of anything worse right now. than being in a room full of strangers, who would ask her all manner of questions about Speedy Jr and her husband; all of which she didn’t feel like answering.

“I am fine Felicity, I promise. I am going to find an old Sandra Bullock movie on Netflix, make a nest on the couch, eat this amazing meal and follow up with a tub of Ben and Jerry’s Strawberry Cheesecake.”

Felicity moves forward for a hug, hugging her sister in law tightly as he tells her, “remember to call if you need anything. Oliver will be home by dinnertime and I know for a fact he baked some brownies last night as I had one for breakfast.”

Thea laughs. “Felicity, I am fine, I promise.”

*

But a few hours, three movies and a pint of ice- cream later, Thea finds herself on the front doorstep of Oliver and Felicity’s. She was telling herself the whole way over it was the siren call of the brownies that had her, but it wasn’t. She knocks twice before the shadowy figure of her brother appears in the cutouts of the panelled glass door.

He opens it with a welcome smile on his face, and before she knows it, Thea has tears running down her face.

“I am lonely,” she admits, the smile fading from his face as the tears choke in her voice. “And I miss him terribly...and that big old empty house just...”

Oliver steps forward, pulling her into a tight hug, his arms wrapped around her protectively. Oliver hugs her in close and kisses her head tenderly, telling her it’s okay before ushering her inside.

Will is in the kitchen, helping himself to a plate of dessert, and at the raised eyebrow look his father gives him as they enter the open plan living area, Will fishes a clean plate from the dish tray on the sink and places two of the four brownies he’d piled onto his plate, onto the other plate.

“Hey Will,” Thea waves, swiping at her eyes.

“A.T,” he greets with a smile as they approach. He pushes the plate towards his Aunt. “How are you?”

“Fat and swollen,” Thea laments.

Will grins. “That means Speedy Jr is cooking right. Or that’s what Dad always tells Felicity. Want some brownie? Dad made it.”

Thea shakes her head and pats her stomach. “Already had Ben & Jerry take care of it. Maybe later though. Save those two pieces for me.”

“They have your name all over them A.T,” Will says happily grabbing his plate of brownies and stepping closer to hug his Aunt. He’s almost a foot taller than her, and she fits right under his chin, just like his Mom and Felicity too. “Do you want me to kick Uncle Roy’s butt?” He asks making Thea chuckle.

“No hon, I am okay. Besides, I think your Dad would have first right,” she says sneaking a look at Oliver who agrees with a nod.

“Bud, can you do me a favor and check in on Rob? He was grizzling a little earlier but I wanted him to sooth himself back to sleep. Don’t wake him, just check he’s asleep.”

Will nods, offers a happily and cheesy wave bye, and disappears heading upstairs to check on Robbie and then get back to gaming.

“Okay,” Oliver says directing Thea over to the comfy sofa so she can sit down and put her feet up. “What’s going on?”

Thea had rehearsed this conversation over and over in the car on the way over, but no matter which way she cut it, she always ended up at the same conclusion.

“I don’t know how to do this,” she says with a shaky breath, picking at the frayed knee of her oldest and most comfortable yoga pants.

Oliver’s brow knits. “You don’t know how to...?”

“Be a Mom,” Thea squeaks, and yep, there are the tears again. “I keep thinking about her you know. More than usual. More than before I knew I was going to be a Mom. More than ever before. I know she wasn’t around much when you were a kid, that her and Dad worked so much and you had Raisa, but it was different with me. She was always there.”

“Thea, I don’t really know what to say...” Oliver says reluctantly. Because he doesn’t. He wants to be able to, oh he does, but he can’t find the right words except to apologise for not being there for her earlier.

Thea takes a deep breath, rubbing her extended belly calming both the dread in her stomach and her little hyperactive Speedy Jr currently making himself known.

“When Roy and I talked about having little Speedy Jr before his debt to ARGUS was up, I didn’t think I’d spend almost half my pregnancy alone with Roy working away, and it’s left me in this really weird headspace."

Oliver frowns. He knew Thea was struggling with the distance, frustrated that her work with QI and Roy’s work with ARGUS had put so much distance between them, but he hadn’t realised how much. He’d bed preoccupied with his own surgery and recovery, the first few months of juggling a newborn, a toddler, a teenager, a city, a company and a vigilante career. Even though Thea wasn’t out in the field at the moment, she had still been showing up at the bunker to help Felicity, or jumping in to help out with Zoe and baby Robbie, giving Donna and Quentin (almost permanently on grandparent call at this point) some reprieve. But the past couple of weeks she’d pulled back, said her exhaustion was getting the best of her.

And all at once Oliver realises that he’s been a bad brother, not as aware to Thea’s needs as he once would have been, the way he should have been as her big protective brother.

“What if I am a bad mom?” Thea asks softly, pulling him out of his reverie. “How do I know how to be a good Mom, without Mom here to teach me?”

The words hit Oliver squarely in the chest, and for a moment, it hurts. He takes a seat on strong sturdy coffee table in front of her. He remembers that same fear, that same yearning when Zoe was born, when he first held her at the hospital and he realised he had absolutely no fucking idea what he was doing. Oliver had wished for and missed his mother a lot over the years, but holding his own child and realising that she’d never meet his Mom, had been a distinctly painful moment in his life.

And he knew that Thea, infinitely smarter and more perceptive, was already feeling it. She was a girl who had spent the majority of her adult years an orphan who yearned in times like this for her Mom for help. And, of course Quentin and Donna were practically her adopted parents too, like they were his, but the reality was, at the end of it, they weren’t Moria and Robert Queen. It just wasn’t the same.

Thea’s face falls and her tears spill over again and before he has time to fill his crushed lungs with a calming breath to sooth both of them, she’s sobbing.

“Hey, hey, hey,” he says, wrapping his arms around her. “You’re going to be an incredible Mom Thea. You know how I know that?”

Thea shakes her head, wiping at her tears angrily, upset they are spilling over right now, as she buries her face into his chest.

“Because,” Oliver tells her calmly making her look at him, “you are an incredible Aunt to my kids. And, for all her faults, all her secrets, Mom was fiercely protective. And she loved us. And I see that incredible strength in you too Thea.”

Thea smiles proudly through her tears. It had taken a long time to push aside the bad things Moira had done, but at the end of the day, Moira Queen, for all her faults, had been both loving and formidable.

“Mom was a piece of work.”

“Oh yeah she was,” Oliver smiles.

“How did you do it? I mean, you are amazing with Zoe, Will and Robbie. How did you get to be so good at this? Because Speedy Jr isn’t even born yet and I am pretty sure I am already terrible at this whole parenting thing. I just fed my baby ice cream for dinner.”

Oliver gives her a comforting look.

“I still don’t have it figured out,” he admits sagely. “I think that’s the one thing I have learnt from parenthood. It’s fucking hard. Especially if you have kids that are as strong willed and stubborn as you are. It’s really fucking hard trust me, and I hit the jackpot because Felicity is just as bloody stubborn as me, so our kids run the show.”

Thea chuckles.

“But,” Oliver tells her with a smile, “you get home from the hospital with this tiny little human, and as time goes on you soon realise that no one really has it all figured out. And that’s the secret. And, the older your kids get, the more you retrospectively apologise to Mom and Dad for being an arsehole kid.”

Thea actually laughs at that, because honestly, her and Oliver had been nightmare children.

“So, your saying that at the end of the day, the secret to parenthood is that there isn’t one? And we’re all fucked. And as long as we don’t fuck them up as much as our parents might have fucked us up, we’re good?”

Oliver laughs himself, because he’s never surmised it that way really, but now Thea has, it’s so true.

“Pretty much,” he shrugs. “And, the fact that you are worrying about being a good Mom, means you already are one.”

Thea cocks her head at him, her hands buried in his. “That’s strangely poetic and wise Ollie.”

Oliver smiles. “I take no credit; direct your awe to my very brilliant and incredible wife. And, maybe, you should cut Roy a tiny bit of slack...”

“Because he’s working hard to make the world a better place for Speedy Jr to grow up in?”

Oliver blinks. “Well, yeah, essentially. And, he’ll be home on Tuesday _for good_.”

Thea gapes at Oliver. “Why didn’t he tell me that on the phone?”

Oliver laughs, getting to his feet so he can sink into the sofa beside her. “I think you know why,” Oliver says diplomatically.

“Because I hung up on him?” Thea ventures, watching Oliver reach for the remote.

“Correct, Speedy.”

“Ugh, men,” Thea says in frustration. “He could have called me back and told me that. Instead he text and said he’s stuck in a briefing for the next few hours and that he loves me.”

Oliver chuckles. “Roy knows how to pick his battles by now. And speaking of battles...” Oliver hands Thea the remote. “Your choice. No true crime though, and certainly not the new documentary series hypothesising who the Green Arrow is...it is full of so many holes I am almost offended.”

*

“...I hate this movie,” Oliver sighs grimacing at Ryan Reynolds on the screen in front of him, and flopping down beside Thea with a plate of brownies having missed most of the movie thus far feeding Robbie and putting him back down to sleep.

Thea grins, nudging Oliver with her foot so he’ll pass her the plate. “It’s got like twenty minutes left. And I love this movie. It’s a classic. Why do you hate it?”

Oliver shrugs. “Ryan Reynolds is on Felicity’s celebrity list,” he says taking a bite of his cookie.

Thea laughs. “Aren’t you on Felicity’s celebrity list?”

Oliver grins at Thea mischievously. “Nope, but I am on Iris’, which is still horrifyingly entertaining.”

“Probably not for Barry,” Thea chuckles.

“Probably not for Barry,” Oliver agrees with a grin.

“Is that Roy’s hoodie?”

“Yes. I got cold. It was in my car.”

Oliver cocks an eyebrow at her. “It’s covered in Cheeto stains.”

“Don’t you dare judge me Oliver,” she warns pointing a warning finger at him. “Or I will remind you of the time I found Felicity’s hair tie around your wrist...”

Oliver grimaces. “I have a four year old daughter. I do her hair before little school. Don’t make it weird.”

Thea hikes her chin. “I’m hormonal and lonely. I frequently wear and don’t wash my husband’s sweaty hoodie.”

Oliver faces her palms up. “I am not judging you Thea,” he assures her softly with a smile. “Trust me. I hate when Felicity’s gone on business overnight. After all these years, it ruins me. I can’t sleep properly without her. I can’t get through my day to day without her. I can’t imagine how you are practically doing this, growing a baby and getting ready for your future, with Roy so far away.”

Sandra Bullock’s on a boat back towards the airport when the front door opens and closes and Felicity’s heels click down the hallway toward them.

She appears in the living room doorway with her giant handbag and a smile on her face when she spots Thea and Oliver.

“You two look comfortable,” she says, dropping her bag at the end of the sofa, and sliding off her heels with a sigh. “Is there room on there for a third?”

“Always,” Oliver says happily, patting the seat beside him and Felicity drops into the cushion beside him.

He wraps his arms around her, pressing his lips to hers softly before handing her the plate of brownies. She selects the largest piece, kissing him on the cheek in appreciation as she folds her feet up under her and rests her knees on Oliver’s thigh.

“How did the speech go?” Oliver asks.

“I rocked it,” Felicity says proudly. “And the Scholarship recipients were freaking incredible.Our NextGen program is going to blow Wayne Enterprises and Kord Industries out of the water.”

“Bruce deserves it,” Thea adds, making her brother grin. “And so does Kord after what he said about the clinic.”

“Yeah well, he was just dirty we were the first to market. He keeps trying to railroad any progress we make by screaming conflict of interest between Oliver and I instead of actually putting his money where his mouth is and developing the right technology. Anyway, he was there tonight at the event and he had to eat a giant piece of humble pie.” Felicity takes a bite of the brownie and moans a little at its deliciousness. “Babe, this is amazing. The only thing that would make it better, is a giant cup of decaf.”

“Yeah mine could do with a decaf too please,” Thea agrees with a bright smile eyeing Oliver. “Black please.”

Oliver huffs a laugh. “You are lucky I find that cute,” Oliver tells Felicity, pressing a kiss to her temple before turning to Thea. “And you’re incubating my little nephew. Two decafs coming up.”

Once Oliver is up off the couch Felicity snuggles closer to Thea, wrapping her arm around her.

“You okay?” Felicity asks and Thea nods, giving her a genuinely okay smile in return.

“Yeah, I actually am.”

“I am glad to hear it.”


End file.
